Eating too many sugary foods is now believed to be one of the main reasons behind our obesity problem. But can it also weaken your immune system?

Some experts such as Dr Sears believe that excess sugar decreases immunity. I was intrigued by this notion so I decided to research if there was any scientific basis for it. One commonly cited study was published way back in 1973 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In this study, researchers found that when volunteers took about 100 g of sugar, the infection fighting cells in their blood were less effective in killing bacteria. Not much has been published on this topic since then, but this belief about the role of sugar in compromised immunity still persists.

No doubt, there are many harmful effects of excess sugar. It may be that poor immunity results from overall poor health, not simply because of consuming too much sugar. If you want to make sure your child develops a good resistance to infectious diseases, follow these time-tested advice:

• Balanced diet, rich in fruits and veggies (see tips)
• Play-nutrition-rest
• Reduce meat consumption
• Multivitamins if needed (see when to consider a multivitamin)

And if you are struggling with a sugar problem, here are a few tips on how to shake off a sweet addiction!

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