Childhood obesity is a raging topic these days, and the list of the 10 worst cereals (as far as product percentage of sugar by weight is concerned) is out. If you are concerned about the possibility that your child is getting too many empty calories by way of sugar in their morning cereal, here is a countdown to the ten worst out there.
Number 10 - Kellogg's Froot Loops Original, with 41.4% of the product being sugar.
Number 9 - Quaker Oats Cap'n Crunch's Crunch Berries with 42.3% sugar.
Number 8 - Kellogg's Apple Jacks with 42.9% sugar.
Number 7 - Kellogg's Smorz with 43.3% sugar.
Number 6 - Quaker Oats Oh!s with 44.4% sugar.
Number 5 - Quaker Oats Cap'n Crunch Original, also with 44.4% sugar.
Number 4 - Quaker Oats Cap'n Crunch's OOPS! All Berries with 46.9% sugar.
Number 3 - Kellogg's Froot Loops Marshmallow with 48.3% sugar.
Number 2 - Post Golden Crisp with 51.9% sugar.
And last, but not least, especially for the sugar junkie cereal addict, is:
Number 1 - Kellogg's Honey Smacks with a whopping 55.6% of the weight of the cereal being nothing but sugar.
In the race for which maker of these cereals provides the worst cereals for childhood obesity and tooth decay, Kellogg's comes in 1st place with five of the top ten, Quaker Oats comes in 2nd, with 4 of the top ten, and Post earns the 3rd place medal in the cereal hall of shame with only 1 out of the top ten (although it did pull out the 2nd place finish for individual rankings).
The evaluations of the sugary cereals were put together by the Environmental Working Group and also published in MedPage Today. The EWG also pointed out the the winner of the contest had the dubious distinction of having more sugar in a one cup serving than a Hostess Twinkie!
Noted national health expert, Dr. Andrew Weil, was quoted in the EWG release as stating that "... 50 years of nutrition research has confirmed that sugar is actually the single most health-destructive component of the standard American diet." He also stated the opinion that a children's cereal being nearly 56% sugar "should cause national outrage."
The concern with the numbers published by the EWG cuts across numerous fronts in the national battle for better health.
- Childhood obesity is now considered to be at epidemic proportions, having risen more than 300% in the last 30 years, according to reports from the Centers for Disease Control.
- Two out of three American adults are now considered to be overweight, and one in three is considered to be medically obese.
- High sugar consumption at breakfast has been tied to troubles with school work.
- Processed sugar (including high fructose corn syrup) provide empty calories that provide nearly no measureable nutrition or fiber.
- Sugar has been tied to increased levels of tooth decay.
The National Institutes of Health has an online BMI calculator for adults. The CDC has a child and teen BMI calculator. Health experts urge parents to take their own BMI's as well as those of their children, as national polls have shown that Americans are frequently delusional when it comes to their weight. That same delusion can also carry over to their children.
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