Sugar addiction and children
Why is it children love sugar? We explore the science that explains why our kids seem addicted to all things sweet, and take a look at the way our tastebuds change as we age.
Children seem to have a much higher tolerance for sugary foods, but how do our tastebuds develop as we get older? Registered dietitian Dr Frankie Phillips takes a look at the scientific reasons behind our preferences for sweet flavours.
Discover our healthy family recipes, healthy kids' recipes and low-sugar recipes. Plus, read how much sugar should children have.
Babies, breast milk and beyond
Babies have an innate preference for sweetness, starting with the slightly sweet taste of breast milk. They also have more sensitive tastebuds (and many more of them), so new foods can offer an intense explosion of flavour, which might not always be that welcomed. A baby's mouth has more nerve endings per square millimetre than any other part of their body, which explains why babies explore new objects with their mouths. It’s also worth remembering that what mum eats while pregnant and breastfeeding may also shape her baby’s taste preferences. Recent research suggests that limiting sugar exposure in-utero and during the first two years of your child’s life may help protect against conditions like type-2 diabetes later in life.
As your infant develops, you’ll notice they seem to have a natural instinct to search out energy-rich foods. No great surprise then that kids have a genetic disposition for seeking out the sweet stuff!
What is a supertaster?
Some children find new (especially bitter) tastes more acceptable because their tastebuds are programmed to be less sensitive. Others are ‘supertasters’, meaning they have a heightened sense of taste. It’s partly a survival mechanism, since many poisonous plants also taste bitter or sour, making them less appealing, so we are hardwired to avoid them. These supertasters might find the bitter taste of brassica and cruciferous vegetables such as brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower very challenging. The good news is that we can learn to accept these tastes, which, given the nutritional benefits of these foods, is excellent news.
Do tastebuds change as we get older?
Just because your child loves sweets now doesn't mean it will always be that way. After all, most of us drop our fixation with penny sweets and fizzy drinks somewhere along the way – in fact, these sweet preferences start to decline to adult levels during mid-to-late adolescence. Also, tastebuds routinely die out and are replaced, so our taste preferences can change all the time. Plus, as we age our bodies stop replacing tastebuds, so we gradually have fewer. The tastebuds we do have also shrink, so by the time you reach a mature older age, your sense of taste may require stronger, more intense flavours to stimulate it.
Searching for that sugar hit
Research has shown that those with more sensitivity to bitter tastes may also be more sensitive to sweet tastes. It’s also suggested that children vary in their ability to recognise sweetness, showing that some children are 20 times better at detecting sugar than others, and that this may be partly down to our genetic make-up. For these children, reducing the amount of sugar they eat might be more difficult to achieve. However, researchers also found that obese children were less sensitive to sugar, which explains why they may end up eating more of these sugary foods. On the whole, girls are more sensitive to sweet flavours and, as children age, they become more sensitive to both sweet and salty flavours.
Beyond biology
Food isn’t just about flavour: the smells, visual cues, past experiences and cultural norms can all influence how acceptable a food is. Ultimately, although biology plays a role in the type of foods we eat, parents play a critical part in leading the way to a balanced, healthy diet for their children.
Eating together as a family and showing your child that you enjoy a wide variety of tastes is crucial to fostering a well-trained, healthy palate. So, even if your little one is turning his or her nose up at some foods, don’t give up, just put it aside for another day. The message is: don’t stress about food refusal, just keep offering.
Discover more guides on family health
How much sugar should children have?
Is there too much sugar in baby food?
Healthy eating: what young children need
Healthy eating: what schoolchildren need
Behaviour in children: how diet can help
What are your thoughts on children and sugar? Share your comments below.
This page was reviewed on 21 May 2025 by Kerry Torrens
Dr Frankie Phillips is a registered dietitian and public health nutritionist specialising in infant and toddler nutrition with over 20 years' experience.
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