Children Who Eat More Sweets Have Alcohol History

According to a new scientific study, it may be that children who tend to indulge in sweet stuff more often and more intense than their peers have a history of alcoholism in their family. All children like their candies, there is no doubt about this, but some of them really cannot get enough chocolate bars, and other treats. The researchers behind the investigation believe that the behavior these kids exhibit may be partially due to their own nature, but also partially due to their biological heritage.

“We know that sweet taste is rewarding to all kids and makes them feel good. In addition, certain groups of children may be especially attracted to intense sweetness due to their underlying biology,” Monell Chemical Senses Center developmental psychobiologist Julie Mennella explains. She has also been the lead researcher on a new paper accompanying the findings, which was published in the latest issue of the respected scientific journal Addiction. The work was made possible with funding from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

But the scientists are quick to point out that the results do not necessarily imply that children with a tooth for sweets will become alcoholics later on in their lives. “At this point, we don't know whether this higher 'bliss point' for sweets is a marker for later alcohol use,” the researcher explains. But some specialists proposed a link between sweets and alcohol a long time ago, given the fact that both substances activated the same pleasure centers and reward circuitry inside the brain. Additionally, both of them are considered to be mood boosters, and people regardless of age are attracted to at least one of them, so as to make them feel better.

“It may be that even higher levels of sweetness are needed to make depressed children feel better,” Mennella explains. “The bottom line is, telling one child to cut out sweets is going to be a lot harder than telling another child. The liking for sweets was designed to attract us to foods that were higher in energy, like fruits. We didn't evolve in the environment that we live in now where we have all of these refined sugars,” the expert concludes, quoted by LiveScience.