It’s not only adults who consume too much sugar in the US. According to the American Heart Association, kids consume an average of 81 grams of added sugars every day – totaling 65 pounds of the sweet stuff annually. That adds up to over 320 calories daily.

Too much sugar can put children and teens at an increased risk for all sorts of health issues, from obesity and type 2 diabetes to tooth decay and fatty liver disease, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Knowing the impact of too much sugar, it’s no surprise that many parents reach for “sugar-free” foods and beverages or those containing alternative or non-nutritive sweeteners.

But those sweeteners don’t address the problem. The research on their use in children is limited, while at the same time, kids and teens are consuming more of them – often without knowing it. In 2019, the AAP issued a policy statement alerting caregivers and health care providers to their rising use. At least 25% of kids consume these sweeteners, so they felt it was time for a more extensive conversation about their use.

Read on to learn more, including potential benefits and risks, plus a list of tips for parents.

What is a non-nutritive sweetener?

These sweeteners offer a sweet taste without adding calories like sucrose (table sugar) does, but they are much sweeter than sugar, ranging from 180 to 20,000 times as sweet. The Food and Drug Administration has approved these as food additives:

In addition, stevia and luo han guo (also called monk fruit) are approved under the “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) designation. With the exception of aspartame, causing a rare drop in blood platelets, these sweeteners are deemed safe for children. 

What are the risks and benefits?

The AAP’s position isn’t that these sweeteners are harmful; they are calling for more research into their impact on kids’ long-term health.

These sweeteners have to be listed in the ingredients, but manufacturers aren’t required to disclose how much is used, which concerns the AAP. They believe consumers deserve to know how much they are consuming.

According to the AAP, most studies in children have been short-term and found that swapping sugar for a non-nutritive sweetener “may reduce weight gain and promote small amounts of weight loss in children.” Their use has also been linked to fewer cavities – and there is no known link between their use and hyperactivity in kids. However, for all these points, the AAP cautioned that data is limited.

On the flip side, other research has suggested the sweeteners could possibly:

Again, data is limited for each of those points.

Have more questions about your child’s diet and nutrition? Schedule an appointment with their primary care provider atSantiam Hospital today.