New guidelines seek to limit amount of added sugars kids eat

A new warning this week about sugar and kids.

New guidelines from the American Heart Association put a cap on how much added sugar kids 18 and under should be eating each day.

Just six teaspoons.

"When we consume excessive amounts of added sugar, it can lead to some of the diseases we hear about frequently, like heart disease, high blood pressure and obesity," said Shelly Summar, a nutrition expert at Children's Mercy who works to prevent childhood obesity.

The new guidelines don't target natural sugar found in some foods, but added sugar found in things like candy bars, cookies and soda. Just one can of soda can have much as ten teaspoons of sugar - four more than the guidelines suggest for an entire day.

Read and see the full story via KSHB 41.

Learn more about Children's Mercy's Weight Management program.