Children aged two to four get 20% of calories from sweets, chocolate and soft drinks

The research, carried out by safefood, also found treats like biscuits, chocolate, soft drinks, and savoury snacks contributed significantly to the total intakes of saturated fat and added sugar among children aged two to four and five to 12.

Children aged two to four get a fifth of their calorie intake from treats including biscuits, chocolate and soft drinks, new Irish research has found.

The same study showed this figure rises to 25% among children of primary school age.