Sugary drinks may raise diabetes risk in children

By Yusuf İnan | Wise News Press
IZMIR, TÜRKİYE — Sugary drinks, processed foods, long screen time and sedentary habits may increase the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes in children.

Specialist Dr. Fikret İşbilir, a child health and diseases expert at Batıgöz Balçova Surgical Medical Center, said lifestyle habits gained during childhood can play a decisive role in health later in life. According to İşbilir, children’s metabolic health cannot be explained only by genetic factors. Nutrition, beverage choices, physical activity, sleep patterns and screen use are also important parts of the process.

Nutrition is not only about feeling full

Dr. İşbilir said children’s daily nutrition should not be evaluated only through meal frequency or whether the child feels full. The content of foods, sugar amount, fiber intake, beverage choices and meal balance may directly affect children’s metabolic health.

White-flour products, packaged snacks, sugary foods and foods with low nutritional value may create short-term satiety but can also cause sudden fluctuations in blood sugar. These fluctuations may lead some children to feel hungry more often, seek more snacks and gain weight over time.

İşbilir said foods with a low glycemic index, meaning those that raise blood sugar more slowly, should be prioritized in children’s diets.

“In children’s nutrition, low-glycemic-index foods such as whole grains, legumes and fiber-rich foods should be prioritized. Empty-calorie foods such as white flour and packaged snacks cause sudden blood sugar fluctuations and trigger hunger crises,” he said.

For this reason, families should not focus only on how much a child eats, but also on what the child eats, what they drink and how much they move during the day.

Sugary drinks may not be as innocent as they seem

Some drinks frequently consumed by children may be perceived by families as harmless. However, carbonated drinks, flavored beverages, packaged fruit juices, energy drinks and some products marketed with child-friendly labels may contain high amounts of sugar.

Dr. İşbilir said parents should make a habit of reading product labels. Words such as “fruit-flavored,” “energy-boosting” or “for children” do not necessarily mean a product is healthy. Ingredients, sugar content and serving size should be checked carefully.

Experts say children’s daily fluid needs should primarily be met with water. Homemade ayran, unsweetened compote, freshly prepared yogurt-based drinks and natural alternatives may be considered more balanced choices.

According to İşbilir, frequent consumption of high-sugar drinks can silently increase children’s daily energy intake. Over time, this may contribute to weight gain, insulin resistance and metabolic imbalance.

Type 2 diabetes can also appear in children

Type 2 diabetes was long associated mainly with adulthood. However, with the rise of excess weight, sedentary lifestyles, high-calorie diets and irregular habits in childhood, metabolic risk factors may appear at earlier ages.

Dr. İşbilir said type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition characterized by elevated blood sugar caused by the body’s inability to use insulin effectively. In children, this process often progresses slowly. The pancreas tries to produce more insulin to balance blood sugar, but after a certain point, it may become insufficient.

If this process is not detected early, prediabetes — commonly described as “hidden sugar” — may develop. Without proper intervention, this condition can turn into permanent diabetes.

For this reason, symptoms such as weight gain, persistent tiredness, frequent thirst, frequent urination, increased appetite or rapid weight changes in children should be taken seriously. However, these signs may also be related to other health problems, so evaluation should always be made by a specialist physician.

Inactivity can disrupt metabolic balance

Modern life increasingly limits children’s movement. School routines, homework, digital devices, tablets, phones and long hours in front of television can reduce children’s physical activity levels. This affects not only weight control but also overall metabolic health.

Regular physical activity supports muscle development, bone health, sleep quality, attention span, energy balance and emotional well-being. Age-appropriate outdoor play, walking, cycling or participation in sports can help children meet their daily movement needs.

Families should take an encouraging rather than purely restrictive approach. Instead of only telling a child to stop using screens, parents can go for walks together, plan outdoor weekend activities or help the child discover sports they enjoy.

Sleep is also part of metabolic health

Metabolic health in children is not limited to nutrition and physical activity. Sleep patterns are also an important part of the picture. Dr. İşbilir said exposure to screens until late hours may reduce sleep quality.

Insufficient sleep can affect appetite mechanisms, disrupt daytime energy balance and increase sedentary habits. Children who sleep late may wake up tired, move less during the day and turn more often to high-calorie snacks.

For this reason, children should have age-appropriate sleep durations, screen use should be limited especially in the evening, and a regular sleep routine should be established. Reading books, calm games or short family conversations before bedtime may provide a healthier transition to sleep.

Sustainable family habits matter

Dr. İşbilir emphasized that healthy lifestyle habits in children cannot be built only through bans directed at the child. Families should be part of the process, and healthy nutrition, movement and sleep should become part of the household’s general lifestyle.

İşbilir said children learn many behaviors from their families.

“Children’s nutrition, physical activity habits and sleep patterns should be considered as a whole. Instead of restrictive approaches, creating sustainable healthy habits as a family may provide more lasting results. Children learn many behaviors from their families. Therefore, parents’ lifestyle plays an important role in children’s future health habits,” he said.

Experts say reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity in children is not about banning a single food. It requires establishing a balanced eating pattern at home, increasing water consumption, making movement a part of daily life and protecting sleep routines.

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