Starting your child’s day with a sugary breakfast can add up to health problems like an unhealthy weight and tooth decay. It can even lead to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers in the future.
The Maximum Daily Allowance (MDA) shows the maximum amount of sugar that children of all ages can have to stay healthy.
Children between 4-10 years on average consume around 5,500 sugar cubes each year through their food and drink. That’s more than the total body weight of an average five-year-old child!
Some cereals contain more than 3.5 sugar cubes, which means your child could be having over half of their maximum daily allowance of sugar before school. Add this to drinks and snacks later in the day and their health could be at risk.
We’ve clearly displayed lots of popular cereals in a traffic light system, so you can see which ones to watch out for and what you can try instead. This information can make it easier to protect your child from health problems by giving them a healthier breakfast.
HIGH SUGAR
The cereals in this section contain high levels of sugar and some can be over half of a child’s maximum daily allowance of sugar. It’s a good idea to limit these cereals to having them very occasionally or avoid them altogether if you can.
MEDIUM SUGAR
The cereals in this section contain less sugar but could still put your child’s health at risk, so should only be given occasionally for breakfast.
HEALTHIER OPTIONS
Sticking to low sugar options means your child has a healthy and tasty start to the day, it keeps them safe from the dangers of sugar too.
