Letter: Curbing sugar could increase life expectancy of children

Did you know that experts predict our children will be the first generation to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents? You ask, why? Today, children drink more sugar-sweetened beverages than their parents, as children. Too much sugar in the diet, especially in liquid form, has been linked to development of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and many more diseases. Sugar-sweetened beverages supply half of the added sugar in the diets of 12-17-year-olds and one-third of the added sugar in diets of 2-5-year-olds. In fact, sugar-sweetened beverages contribute more to the projected shortened life expectancy of our children relative to their parents than unhealthy food intake or lack of exercise.

December 19, 2012