New Publications Focus on Role of Sweet Taste in Infant and Toddler Feeding

Sugar Association supports important scientific dialogue on the role
of sugar and sweet taste in facilitating nutrient-dense
nourishment for infants and toddlers

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nutrition Today, a peer reviewed journal, published a supplement titled
Sweet
Taste Perception and Feeding Toddlers in its most recent edition.
This supplement is a needed collection of science and objective thinking
on the diets of a child’s first 1000 days of life by experts in
nutrition, eating behavior and sensory science.

The supplement, which includes ten papers, resulted from a roundtable
discussion organized in part by The University of Colorado and The Sugar
Association in October 2015. The event focused on three topics: (1)
dietary and nutrient intakes, (2) developmental and sensory aspects of
feeding, and (3) factors contributing to feeding success with
nutrient-dense foods. The newly published papers expand on important
themes and provide key learnings from the roundtable, focusing on what
we know and don’t know about how sweet taste during this formative
period affects dietary patterns for life.

“The Sugar Association recognized the need for an evidence-informed
dialogue on sugar’s role in feeding, innate tastes, and developmental
milestones during early life,” said Courtney Gaine, PhD, RD, president
and CEO of The Sugar Association. “The hope is that structured
conversations like this bring us closer to consensus on some topics and,
particularly in this case, helps identify and spur new research that is
desperately needed in this understudied demographic of infants and
toddlers.”

The move to stimulate dietary and taste perception research in infants
and toddlers is part of The Sugar Association’s restored commitment to
address knowledge gaps and support independent, peer-reviewed science.
The Association will continue to support the examination of the role of
naturally present or added sugars in the diet across the lifespan,
including an ongoing study into sugar’s role in facilitating the
transition from infant feeding to a dietary pattern that includes
acceptance of and preference for nutrient-dense foods.

Financial support for the supplement was provided by The Sugar
Association. The association had no role in the writing or editing of
the supplement, and research topics were determined by the respective
scientists. Recent literature suggests this type of framework, rooted in
transparency and communication, leads to increased public confidence in
industry-funded research¹, a goal the organization is working
to achieve.

The supplement is available through free open access for one full year
and can be found at www.nutritiontodayonline.com.

About The Sugar Association:

The Sugar Association, founded in 1943, is the scientific voice of the
U.S. sugar industry, making a difference by continuously supporting
scientific research and sharing our knowledge of sugar to increase
consumer understanding and confidence in the role that sugar plays in a
nutritious, balanced and enjoyable diet.

The Sugar Association represents nearly 12,000 beet and cane sugar
growers, as well as processors and refiners of sugar. The U.S. sugar
industry generates 142,000 jobs in 22 states and contributes $20 billion
to the economy annually.

Reference:
¹ Alexander N, Rowe S, Brackett RE, et al.
Achieving a transparent, actionable framework for public-private
partnerships for food and nutrition research. Am J Clin Nutr.
2015;101(6):1359Y1363.

Contacts

For The Sugar Association
Mike Nelson, 703-894-5461
media@sugar.org