In the midst of concerns about diabetes in kids, there are heartwarming moments that unfold in homes worldwide. After weeks of trying, your baby finally says ‘Mama’ with eagerness and excitement. It’s an incredible feeling, and you can’t help but be overjoyed! In the midst of your happiness, you promise a sweet treat as a reward. However, it’s crucial to maintain a healthy approach to managing diabetes in kids even during these celebratory moments.

Sounds familiar? I’m sure we’ve all done this at some point or the other. My sister did the same to her child too. Every time he exhibited good manners or surprised her by washing his hands before and after his meals, she rewarded him! And what better a reward for a kid than SWEETS!

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However, these occasional rewards soon turned into daily habits. I could see it but she couldn’t; just like most parents who are wrapped up in their child’s current happiness. She gave in to his plea for chocolates and candies every time. He was getting addicted to sugar and the final result was this – a little boy who ended up getting diagnosed with DIABETES!

How Sugar Addiction can Lead to Diabetes in Kids

I understand that the scenario described above is a common occurrence in many households. Please note that I’m not here to criticize your parenting style. As parents, we have all resorted to bribes or rewards at some point, but it is important to understand the adverse effects of using sweets or candy as incentives, especially when it comes to diabetes in kids. It does not take much time for an once-in-a-while event to turn into a daily habit or, in worse cases, an addiction.

While it may seem far-fetched to associate addiction with children, it is indeed possible. Children can easily get addicted to sugary foods, which provide absolutely no nutritional benefit to their health. Candies, chocolates, artificial juices, soft drinks, and even certain brands of baby food are loaded with added sugar, intended to enhance flavor and make them more appealing to kids.

Unlike Type 1 diabetes, which is an autoimmune disease, Type 2 diabetes in kids is greatly influenced by lifestyle factors, including sugar addiction. According to a 2007 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, there are approximately 3,700 new cases of Type 2 diabetes among young people every year in the United States. Obesity often accompanies such cases, but there are additional symptoms that you should watch out for when it comes to diabetes in kids.

Identifying the Symptoms of Sugar Addiction and Diabetes in Kids

While diabetes does exhibit symptoms, it is often considered a silent disease as the signs aren’t visible till much later. Due to this, it often goes undetected, especially among very young children as they can’t talk about it. However, you can still stay alert by watching out for these signs:

• Consuming a large amount of sugar on a regular basis
• Can’t seem to settle down at bedtime
• Exhibits frequent mood swings or tantrums
• Finds it difficult to sit still and focus on a task

To know whether your child is taking in a lot of sugar, you need to look at everything he eats. Processed sugar can be found in cereals, fruit juices, waffles, doughnuts, candies, chocolates, breads, jellies and ice creams. If you thing that your child is getting addicted to sugar or sugary foods,  you can try some preventive measures to get your child back on track.

6 Tips to Stop Sugar Addiction and Prevent Diabetes in Kids

1. Completely cut out processed and ready-to-eat foods from your child’s diet. Focus more on natural foods that are free from added sugar or artificial flavors.

2. Teach your kid to have a healthy breakfast at the start of the day. Skip sugary cereals and opt for savory options

3. Avoid using sweets or candy as a reward or as a bribe. Stop associating desserts with good times and focus on bonding or physical activity instead.

4. Include balanced meals that contain healthy food from all food groups – grains, protein, dairy, fruit, vegetables, nuts.

5. Stress on consuming more water. Ban soft drinks completely – they are extremely unhealthy. Skip packaged fruit juices and make your own at home without adding sugar.

6.  Replace refined grains with whole grains like whole wheat, brown rice, oats, cornmeal and millets.

Sweets have always been associated with celebrations and success in our culture. It’s not a bad idea to continue traditions or to pamper your child, but we need to make sure that it’s not at the cost of their health. This World Diabetes Day, let’s pledge to remove all kinds of sugary foods from our homes. Your little one is sweet enough; you don’t need all the extra sugar!

Author

Siddhartha Ahluwalia is CEO of Babygogo Parenting App. Moms ask questions and get answers on parenting from other experienced moms and doctors.