Treats Are a Trap

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It starts now and doesn't stop until New Year's—the end-of-the-year parade of holiday pies, cakes, cookies and other treats. In the U.S., from late November to mid-January, the average American gains 2-3 kg. This is a problem for many—especially children, who are increasingly at risk for obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

Candy and other sweets marketed to kids are double health risks. Not only are they packed with calories that tend to get stored as extra kilos, but their high sugar content can also cause blood-glucose levels to spike—a particular concern for diabetics, whose insulin can't even out those peaks efficiently.

But the holidays are a minefield we can navigate, doctors and dietitians insist. By enforcing a few simple rules, you and your kids may be able to have your cake and eat it too.

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The trick is to manage the intake of sweets. According to experts at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, even children with diabetes can eat candy, so long as they make allowances for the extra sugar. For example, if a child packs away a small candy bar, which typically contains about 15 g of sugar, then she should eat 15 fewer grams of carbohydrate at the next meal—say, two fewer scoops of mashed potatoes. (Simple calorie databases, available at calorieking.com or dietclub.com.au, can help you find substitute foods.)

A more proactive strategy is to make sweets less available. Try replacing candy in holiday goody bags with toys or CDs. At family gatherings, serve healthier treats such as apples and clementines, or dried fruits such as banana chips or raisins.

Rationing sugary snacks and desserts can work too, but the key is to work out a quota before the party and stick with it. You can make a deal with your children, for example, that they can take a piece of pie or some ice cream from the dessert table, but not both.

Timing sugar intake is also important. Blood-sugar levels tend to drop in the late afternoon, so an after-school treat won't cause glucose levels to spike as sharply as one eaten before bedtime, and the calories it contains are more likely to be burned off right away.

The best way to keep weight off, of course, is to use the calories as they come in. Organize after-meal games or hikes for both you and your kids. After all, they're not the only ones who tend to overindulge at holiday time.