Too much sweets can harm kids’ learning, intelligence – expert

MANILA, Philippines — Consuming too much sweets can impair children’s learning ability and intelligence, according to a neurology expert.

Dr. Michelle Sy, a child neurology specialist, advised parents to avoid giving young children too much sugary food to prevent learning delays.

“Make sure to reduce sugar levels among infants and young children as it has been shown too much and prolonged intake of sugar affect learning ability and memory,” Sy said in a recent Department of Health (DOH) media forum.

She noted that young children with higher-quality diets have better brain development as they grow older as compared to those who consume sugary food and have unhealthy diets.

Since 90 percent of brain development happens in the first year of life, Sy stressed the importance of breastfeeding and nutritious food in reaching the maximum level of brain development.

Exercise is also important for the brain development of children, according to Sy.

“Many parents are not aware that the human brain quickly develops at the age of two to three years,” she said, noting that “language development and cognitive function” start at an early age.

Sy also advised parents to limit the screen time of young children as this also affects their brain development.

The problem, according to the neurology expert, is that the areas of the brain that need to develop are not used “because the images on the screen are changing so fast.”

For better brain development, Sy said, mothers should start preparing even before pregnancy by avoiding toxins.

She said brain development begins in the first week of pregnancy and any problems like an infection can cause developmental disorders and intellectual disability.

Early screening and intervention, Sy said, can help address intellectual disability.

DOH programs providing iron and iodine supplements can help mitigate intellectual disability, she said.