Preschoolers' extra pounds linked to sugar drinks

Preschool children who have sugary drinks on a regular basis tend to put on more weight than their peers, a US study suggests. Researchers discovered that in the group of two to five year old children that they followed, those who routinely had sugary drinks were 43 percent more likely to become obese.

 

While the study could not definitely prove the connection between obesity and the beverages concerned, experts recommend that parents choose water and milk for their children to drink instead, noting that there are no additional nutritional benefits with sugar sweetened drinks.  Since water is free of sugar and milk provides calcium, protein and Vitamin D, these drinks help children feel fuller than they do when consuming sugary drinks.

 

Although childhood obesity is also influenced by factors such as genes, physical activity and overall diet, sugary drinks nonetheless stand out as one of the primary causes.