When served low-sugar cereals, children are more likely to eat a nutritious, balanced breakfast – even if they add a little table sugar, a new study has found.
The study, “Effects of Serving High-Sugar Cereals on Children’s Breakfast-Eating Behavior,” published in the January 2011 issue of Pediatrics (published online Dec. 13), measured what 91 children at a summer day camp ate when served either high-sugar or low-sugar cereals. All of the children were given their choice of either three high-sugar or three low-sugar cereals, as well as milk, orange juice, cut-up bananas and strawberries, and sugar packets. Children served themselves and answered a questionnaire after breakfast.
Children who were offered high-sugar cereals and those offered low-sugar cereals both said they “liked” or “loved” the cereal they ate. Children in the high-sugar group ate larger portions of cereal, consuming almost twice as much refined sugar (24.4 grams) as children in the low-sugar group (12.5 grams) – despite the fact that children who ate low-sugar cereals added significantly more table sugar to their bowls.
Children who ate low-sugar cereal consumed similar amounts of milk and total calories, and were more likely to put fresh fruit on their cereal.
Study authors conclude that children will eat low-sugar cereals, and parents can make these choices more appealing by adding a small amount of table sugar and/or fresh fruit. Such a strategy could help reduce the amount of added sugar in children’s diets.
