Good News: Parents Plan to Eat Less of Their Kids’ Candy Haul This Halloween 


GLENDALE, Ariz. (Oct. 21, 2015) - If current trends hold, there could be some good news on the horizon for kids across the state this Halloween. Households giving out candy will be up slightly this year, while parents eating their kids’ Halloween candy will take a steep nosedive. All according to a new analysis by Delta Dental of Arizona, a group that pays keen attention to details and trends around candy consumption. 

Candy giving increase: 

Despite a renewed focus on healthy habits, kids will still find plenty of sweet treats in their trick-or-treat bags this year. In 2013, 76% of Arizona parents gave out candy.1 Based on a new 2015 Delta Dental survey, 77% of parents say they’ll hand out candy this year.2 

Less parental looting: 

In 2013, 82% of Arizona parents admitted to eating some of their kids’ Halloween candy, this year marks a sharp decrease, with only 63% of parents saying they’ll pilfer from the Halloween haul. Moms are more likely than dads (71% v 61%) to raid their child’s Halloween candy. 

Bad news for chocolate lovers: 

While chocolate continues to top the charts this year as the most handed out Halloween candy, 16% fewer parents say they’ll be giving it to Arizona trick-or-treaters. In 2013, 76% of parents gave out chocolate on Halloween, this year that number has dropped to 60%. It’s worth noting too that sugar-free candy and gum with xylitol, powdery candy such as sugar straws, and chocolate are the least harmful treats for teeth. 

Fewer household rules on candy consumption: 

The number of parents limiting the amount of Halloween candy their child can eat at a time has decreased by 28%, from 88% in 2013, to 60% this year, according to the analysis. 

On the heels of the analysis, Delta Dental of Arizona is also releasing some quick tips to combatting all that sugar consumption:

  • Eat dinner before trick-or-treating. If your children have full bellies, they may be less likely to overindulge in candy when they get home.
  • Enjoy Halloween candy after a meal to take advantage of increased saliva production and help wash away sugar and bacteria left by candy.
  • Make sure your children drink extra water to stay hydrated during trick-or-treating and to help wash away sugar that may otherwise cause tooth decay.
  • Remind children to brush for two minutes and floss after they dig into their trick-or-treat bags. Practicing good oral hygiene will help keep their mouths clean and their teeth free of decay. 

For additional tips on how to keep teeth healthy and fun Halloween activities for the kids, visit the Tooth Fairy’s Halloween website at ToothFairyTrickyTreats.com.  

 

About Delta Dental of Arizona
Delta Dental of Arizona is the leading dental benefits provider in Arizona, serving more than 892,000 enrollees and more than 3,200 contracted dentists across the state. Passionate about oral health and its importance to generations of families, Delta Dental of Arizona has worked for more than 40 years to improve oral health by emphasizing preventive care and making dental coverage accessible to a wide variety of employers, groups and individuals. For more information about Delta Dental of Arizona, visit www.deltadentalaz.com.  

1 The 2013 Survey included responses from 151 primary caretakers of children from birth to age 11 in Arizona, surveyed between October 22 and November 4, 2012. The survey has a margin of error of ± 8%. 

2 The 2015 Survey included responses from 159 parents of children ages 12 and under in Arizona between December 2, 2014 and January 2, 2015. The survey has a margin of error of ± 7.8%.