Added sugars in kids’ meals and snacks are something parents have been paying more attention to, but when it comes to restaurant meals—whether it’s fine dining or fast food— it’s not always top of mind but many of these meals can be loaded with sneaky sources of the sweet stuff.

In this episode, I sat down with Jim White, a nationally-recognized registered dietitian nutritionist, American College of Sports Medicine Exercise Physiologist, and owner of three Jim White Fitness and Nutrition Studios, three medical nutrition therapy practices, and a workplace wellness corporation.

Jim is also a go-to media expert and has been quoted in thousands of publications and featured in hundreds of television and radio segments nationwide including

ABC Family Channel, Today, TLC, Radio Disney, GQ, Men’s

Health, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and more. He’s also a former spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Jim and I talked about how much added sugar kids are really getting, the common sources of added sugars in restaurant meals, and what to look for—and what to avoid—when eating out.

Welcome

2:05 Let’s talk about your story!

3:50 Why should kids avoid and limit added sugars?

7:52 What are the recommendations for added sugars and how can parents easily measure and track their kids’ consumption? 

9:57 How do you figure out the sugar content in restaurant meals? 

11:38 Infants and toddlers are consuming too much added sugar. Why do we need to pay more attention to this? 

18:46 What are the common sources of sugar in restaurant meals?

20:44 Are there other ingredients we should be leery of?

22:03 Can kids eat sushi and raw fish?

23:17 What are easy tips for parents when they’re eating out and dining out?

26:15 What are your best recommendations for fast food?

Jim talks about his business which consists of three fitness studios, three

medical nutrition therapy practices, and a workplace wellness corporation. Jim is also the founder of the LIFT Fitness Foundation, a non-profit organization that helps the homeless.  

Jim mentions this 2020 study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics which found 84.4% of infants and toddlers consumed added sugars on a given day.

Jim mentions this study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which found between 2017–2018, the average daily intake of added sugars was 17 teaspoons for children. 

Jim talks about the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendations for added sugar in kids’ diets.

Jim talks about non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common cause of chronic liver disease in children in the U.S. 

Jim mentions the film, Super Size Me.

Learn more about Jim White on his website JimWhiteFit.com

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