Too much sweets unhealthy …find alternative means to reward children – Dietician

● Mr. Wise Letsa

A Dietician, Mr. Wise Letsa has advised parents who have the habit of constantly rewarding their children with sweets and sugar-sweetened beverages to desist from it.

“Giving these to children occasionally is fine, but not always, ” he said.

Speaking in an interview with The Spectator about how to keep children healthy, the Dietician said excess sugar had the potential to cause obesity in children and could lead to serious health conditions.

Obesity is a condition in which a child is significantly overweight for his or her age and height.

He said frequently giving sugary substances to children put a child at risk of developing high blood sugar, elevated cholesterol and could even result in diabetes. 

Diabetes is a group of diseases that results in too much sugar in the blood (high blood glucose).

Mr. Letsa advised parents to rather find more child-friendly ways to encourage their children to do what was right and did not involve the use of sugary foods.

These may include hugging, allowing children to watch their favourite programmes,  playing a game, visits to their favourite places and gifts.

He said overeating sweets was not good for children as it compromised their health and so it was important that parents adhered to practices that would improve their health.

He recommended that eating well, not making the consumption of processed foods a habit, and exercising frequently would ensure good health in children.

From DzifaTettehTay, Tema.