Parents' Anxiety about Their Children's Consumption of Sugar or Sweets and Their Opinions Relating to Facts and Myths of Sugar Intake in Japan

Parents' worry about consumption of sweets by their children and their beliefs in the popular opinions regarding sugar intake were investigated. One thousand eight hundred fifty nine adults having elementary school students completed a questionnaire on their views relating to sugar. Results indicated that 91% of parents worried about consumption of carbonated soft drinks and 83% were anxious about sweet snacks and chocolates. Over 80% of the subjects agreed that sugar was a cause of dental caries, adult disease and was effective in improving fatigue. In Japan, it is commonly believed that high sugar intake acidifies blood and then disolves calcim in bone. The myth of acidifyng blood was believed by 40% and disolving calcium was believed by 66% of the subjects. Parents who thought sugar caused attention deficit hyperactivity in children were 49%. Eight percent and 12% of parents agreed that sugar caused antisocial behavior in adulthood and juvenile deliquency in childhood respectively. Many parents worry about their children's consumption of sweets because of the many myths surrounding sugar. It is unfair to use these myths to prevent excessive sugar intake. Sugar intake reduction must be based on scientific rationale.