Snack company KIND dumped 45,485 pounds of sugar in Times Square Tuesday to spark conversation about how much added sugar children consume.
The American Heart Association recommends children eat no more than 100 calories (about six teaspoons) of added sugars, also known as free sugars, daily. But, children are eating much more than that — over 270 calories according to data in the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Most comes from sweetened drinks.
KIND estimates the average 9-year-old eats their weight in added sugar each year.
The 45,485 pounds of sugar in New York City's Times Square is meant to represent how much added sugar American children are eating every 5 minutes.
