My child is 1.5 years old and loves drinking soda. My husband and I work, so we can't supervise him. Is it dangerous for young children to drink soda? At what age can children drink soda? (Minh Khue, Ho Chi Minh City).
Reply:
According to the National Institute of Nutrition, children under 2 years old should absolutely not consume soft drinks. For children over 2 years old, they should not drink more than 200 ml of soft drinks per day.
For children under 2 years old, the amount of water their bodies absorb is very small. For example, a 2-year-old weighing about 13 kg needs 1,000 ml of water per day (1,000 ml + (3 x 50 ml) = 1,150 ml); if the child has already been given 500 ml of milk, then the amount of water needed from broth, vegetable water, and plain water is 1,150 - 500 = 650 ml. For toddlers and older children, plain water is the preferred drink. Parents only need to give their children water daily and should avoid sugary drinks, especially carbonated drinks.
Children should not drink soft drinks because their main ingredient is sugar. Frequent consumption can lead to loss of appetite, tooth decay, calcium depletion in the body, resulting in calcium deficiency and stunted growth. Children are also at risk of obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and digestive disorders such as diarrhea. A study published in The Journal of Pediatrics showed that children who drink soft drinks exhibit argumentative and violent behavior. Specifically, children who drink more than 4 cans of soft drinks per day are twice as likely to destroy property, fight, and attack others compared to other children.
Soft drinks come in many distinctive flavors and aromas, with a sweet and refreshing taste that children enjoy. For young children, consuming soft drinks is mostly passive, often with adult permission. Therefore, the best way to prevent children from asking to try them is to avoid serving soft drinks in front of them at home.
Parents should note that banning soft drinks abruptly is not advisable, as it can lead to children resisting and secretly drinking more when unsupervised. Families with older children who have a habit of drinking soft drinks should also reduce the quantity and frequency of consumption each day, and parents should limit the number of times they buy them. Parents should encourage children to drink plenty of plain water until they completely stop drinking soft drinks. The initial "detox" from soft drinks may be difficult for children, but they will eventually accept it if parents are persistent.
Dr. Nguyen Thi Hanh Trang
Department of Pediatrics, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City
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