What kind of worms are in Halloween treats trick kids into sugar overload?
By Star-Ledger Guest Columnist October 30, 2009, 5:27AM Halloween is a spooky holiday. Without realizing it, three out of four American adults become inadvertent “sugar pushers” tempting some 36 million young trick-or-treaters into gorging on sugar-filled candies. Indeed, every Halloween, just about everyone “forgets” that our nation’s kids are experiencing never-before-seen rates of obesity, which can be triggered by consuming too many sweets. And this year, despite the fact that many are facing economic challenges, Americans will spend $1.89 billion on candies, 6.8 percent more than last year, according to IBISWorld, a market research firm. That’s about $45 per household. But you’re tricking, not treating kids, every time you pass out sweets on Halloween. First of all, the average kid may wolf down some 15 to 40 teaspoons of sugar and 300 to 600 or more calories on Halloween night alone. Then, unless parents set limits, many children pig out on leftover candies for weeks afterwards.
Halloween treats trick kids into sugar overload By Star-Ledger Guest Columnist October 30, 2009, 5:27AM By Connie Bennett and Stephen T. Sinatra/ Star-Ledger Guest Columnists Halloween is a spooky holiday. Without realizing it, three out of four American adults become inadvertent “sugar pushers” tempting some 36 million young trick-or-treaters into gorging on sugar-filled candies. Indeed, every Halloween, just about everyone “forgets” that our nation’s kids are experiencing never-before-seen rates of obesity, which can be triggered by consuming too many sweets. And this year, despite the fact that many are facing economic challenges, Americans will spend $1.89 billion on candies, 6.8 percent more than last year, according to IBISWorld, a market research firm. That’s about $45 per household. This Halloween, we urge you to quit promoting sugar gorging. Instead, pass out healthier “treats” such as small packets of almonds or pistachios (but not peanuts, because a growing number of kids ar
