this post was submitted on 17 Jun 2026
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Twenty years ago, I met a couple with a young son who decided not to let the kid have sugar. I wonder how that might have worked out for the kid now that he's grown.

I assume the kid hit 18 and went on a sugar binge as soon as he tasted it the first time.

Anyone have experience with this?

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[–] HikingVet@lemmy.ca 44 points 18 hours ago (5 children)

It's just Puritanism and has all of the drawbacks of an overreaching authority.

Those kids usally binge on sugar once they hit adolescence and are away from thier parents. Great way to create a substance abuse issue. It’s what happens every time you do shit like this.

Prohibition is a method of control that requires a hell of a lot of restrictions to work. And even then it has a high failure rate.

[–] cannedtuna@lemmy.world 44 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago) (3 children)

Counterpoint, I see parents giving sodas to toddlers all the time. Reminiscent of that scene in Idiocracy where a parent tries to get their baby to drink Brawndo.

But sugar can cause a slew of problems in kids like childhood obesity, diabetes and ~~hyperactivity~~ mood swings due to changes in blood sugar levels. The sugar industry has done its best to convince people it’s harmless while packing cheap foods full of it to make it taste better. Countries that consume large amounts of cheap foods like the US have higher obesity rates.

Blah blah moderation and all that, but when all you can afford is the cheap shit it’s harder to avoid sugars. Kids finding they might have a sweet tooth when they get older is a tiny concern.

[–] meejle@piefed.world 17 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

FWIW, it's a myth that sugar causes hyperactivity. But it's been shown in studies that parents who believe the myth are more likely to perceive their children's behaviour as hyperactive when they've had sugar.

I think there is evidence that some artificial food additives can have that effect in some people, though.

[–] cannedtuna@lemmy.world 6 points 15 hours ago

You’re right, it should probably say mood swings due to changes in blood sugar levels instead as that’s more accurate

[–] binarytobis@lemmy.world 2 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

My mom kept the fridge stocked with sodas when I was a kid, mostly because I had friends over often and she wanted them to feel welcome. I usually drank soda because it was convenient; quick, cold, no dishes. Over years I downed thousands of sodas. It didn’t even occur to me that I didn’t even like it that much.

Now I drink so much water. I’ll have a soda a few times a year, but if I’m thirsty water is king. I feel like a kid who got caught smoking forced to smoke a whole pack.

[–] trolololol@lemmy.world 2 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

My family growing up went to having 1l of coke for everyone to share on Sundays, when shit was super expensive, to 600ml or more per person per meal over about 10 years when it got cheaper. I got myself to the point that I would go to a friend's house, and feel thirsty and refuse to drink water, which was the only thing available. That's when I noticed my family had a problem.

I didn't quit cold turkey, but when I reached 26 I remember drinking soft drinks less than once per year. Best decision ever. My mum didn't go over weight not sure how, but developed diabetes. Only then she switched to diet coke, but kept drinking that like I drink water.

[–] binarytobis@lemmy.world 1 points 7 hours ago

Zero calorie soda tastes good, which makes me not trust it at all.

[–] cattywampas@lemmy.world 14 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

I'd be interested to read some real literature on this. Obviously moderation is the best behavioral choice in the context of life and society, while no refined sugar is obviously the best choice for health.

But if you had two groups of kids, one who was given no sugar and one who was given too much sugar, I bet the former group ends up healthier the vast majority of the time.

[–] dingus@lemmy.world 4 points 15 hours ago

I think the real issue is simply that excess calories (and sugary foods are highly dense in calories) leads to obesity. And obesity in childhood lends itself to continued obesity through adulthood, thus higher rates of things like diabetes and high blood pressure.

I think the whole argument about sugar itself is a bit of a moot point. It all comes down to whether or not you let your child become obese while you are still under their care.

I grew up in a household with a lot of sugar. I turned out just fine. Two of my siblings struggle a lot with obesity, and one has been overweight since childhood.

[–] BCsven@lemmy.ca 8 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

I've seen the opposite be true. Family members that grew up with Candy/Sugar never left it behind and have impulse control issues that led to substance problems.

Those that had very limited sweet stuff, are able to moderate, or don't enjoy sweets as much, and haven't had substance issues.

I think the key factor in substance issues tgough is the persons genetic predisposition and trama.

[–] Viceversa@lemmy.world 0 points 16 hours ago (1 children)
[–] BCsven@lemmy.ca 14 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Like trauma but U weren't involved

[–] Viceversa@lemmy.world 4 points 15 hours ago
[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 6 points 17 hours ago

Those kids usally binge on sugar once they hit adolescence and are away from thier parents

Was an absolute soda chugging fiend in college, until a root canal brought me down to earth.