According to a recent study, after-care food and drinks make up 22% of the added sugar consumed by children in a day, as well as about one-third of the sweet and salty snacks they eat. Many working parents are familiar with the routine of taking their children to childcare in the morning, working all day, and then dealing with traffic to get the kids back home. During this time, a snack and drink can provide some relief. However, few parents consider the nutritional value or calories in these snacks. Experts at Cincinnati Children’s conducted a study to investigate this further.On April 27, 2024, eyebrow-raising findings were released in the journal Children’s Health Care.
Researchers reexamined older data from daily food journals kept by over 300 families of children attending 30 childcare centers involved in the Preschool Eating and Activity Study (2009-2011). They discovered that the time after parents and caregivers picked up their children was a high-calorie, relatively unhealthy part of the child’s daily diet.
In total, these 3 to 5-year-old children consumed more than 1,471 calories throughout the day, which is on the higher end of the recommended amount.
Adding concern: after-care food and drink accounted for about 22% of the day’s added sugar and about one-third of the sweet and salty snack foods the children ate.
“Every parent knows how busy that time of day can feel. Parents can feel stressed, the kids may be cranky, hungry, or tired. There’s nothing wrong with treats once in a while,” says senior author Kristen Copeland, MD, Division of General and Community Pediatrics. “But that car ride home also can be an opportun
ity to establish healthier habits rather than unhealthy ones.”
If busy parents are looking to make a small change that could have a big impact, they can consider keeping the car stocked with vegetable sticks, cheese, fruit slices, and low-sugar drinks like water or milk. Taking a few minutes to prepare can make it easier to avoid high-calorie drive-through meals and sugar-filled snacks.
“Preschool-aged children are at a crucial stage for forming habits. They thrive on routine,” Copeland explains. “Children often enjoy the car ride home, so it’s an opportunity to start a healthy snacking habit that could last a lifetime.”
Journal Reference:
- Kelsey A. Egan, Allison A. Parsons, Nicholas J. Ollberding, Laurie A. Smith, Kristen A. Copeland. Dietary intake and quality during transition periods of drop-off and pickup from child-care centers. Children’s Health Care, 2024; 1 DOI: 10.1080/02739615.2024.2345318