Should I put my children on a sugar detox? 

Rather than focusing on exclusion, shift to thinking about the frequency and portions of each that are being consumed

Moderation is key when it comes to children and sweet treats. Picture: iStock 

My children, aged seven and nine, gorged on sweets over Christmas. I did my best to ensure they ate the sweets around mealtimes. However, once we started visiting friends and neighbours, all bets were off. I’m considering introducing a sugar detox so they can get back into good eating habits. What would you suggest?

Much like many adults opt for a dry January, cutting sugary foods out at the start of the year seems like the obvious counter to a month where routines disappear and sweets seem to be everywhere. However, my take on this is to start as you mean to go on, and a calm return to normal routine is likely a more beneficial approach.