This Halloween parents of preschoolers should be spooked by recent findings unmasked by First 5 California that their child is eating 60 percent more than their body weight in sugar.  

According to a January 2005 study in the highly-respected Journal of Pediatrics, the average 4- to 5-year-old consumes 17 teaspoons of added sugar a day, which amounts to approximately 64.6 pounds of added sugar a year.

The majority of a child’s added sugar intake comes from fruit drinks, high-fat desserts, soft drinks and candy.

Excessive sugar intake may play a role in escalating childhood obesity rates.

Currently, one in three children in California is overweight or at risk of becoming overweight, regardless of age, race or gender. If left unchecked, obesity can lead to serious health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.

This Halloween, First 5 California provides the following tips to help parents and caregivers make healthier choices for their children:

• Set limits. Only allow children a certain amount of sweets per day.

• Offer healthier snacks to trick-or-treaters. Or consider alternatives to candy, such as passing out stickers.

• Limit juice and soda. Even fruit juices have hidden sugars. Serve your children water and milk.

• Create new holiday traditions. Do activities together that don’t include sweets.

For more information, call 1-800-KIDS-025.
 
First 5 California, also known as the California Children and Families Commission, was established after voters passed Proposition 10 in November 1998, adding a 50 cents-per-pack tax on cigarettes to fund education, health, childcare and other programs for expectant parents and children up to age 5. For more information please visit www.ccfc.ca.gov.

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