Study finds most baby foods sold in US grocery stores are unhealthy

An astonishing 60 percent of infant and toddler foods fail to meet nutritional recommendations, and none of them meet the advertising requirements set out in World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, finds a new study published today in the journal Food and Nutrition. Nutrients.

In the absence of U.S.-specific nutritional or promotional guidelines for these foods, researchers at the George Institute for Global Health assessed data on 651 infant and toddler foods sold by the top 10 U.S. grocery chains stored in the George Institute's FoodSwitch database against this international benchmark.

Of all products, 70% did not meet protein requirements, 44% exceeded total sugar requirements, 1 in 4 did not meet calorie requirements and 1 in 5 exceeded the recommended sodium limit.

Dr. Elizabeth Dunford, a research associate at the George Institute and an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina, said the growing popularity of processed convenience foods for infants and young children is cause for concern.

“Early childhood is a critical period of rapid growth, during which taste preferences and Eating habits “This can pave the way for the development of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and some cancers,” she said.

“Time-poor parents are increasingly turning to convenience foods, believing them to be healthier than they actually are, unaware that many of these foods lack key nutrients children need.”

The researchers found that baby food pouches are the fastest growing product in this category, with pouch sales increasing by 900% over the past 13 years. Worryingly, pouches were classified as the unhealthiest products assessed, with less than 7% meeting total sugar recommendations.

The study also revealed the extent of misleading marketing practices, with nearly all products (99.4%) bearing at least one prohibited claim on their packaging. On average, products bore four prohibited claims, with some bearing as many as 11. Common claims include “non-genetically modified (GM)” (70%), “organic” (59%), “BPA-free” (37%), and “free of artificial colors/flavors” (25%).

Dr Daisy Coyle, a nutritionist and research fellow at the George Institute, said such claims create a “health halo effect” around these products, and that “the lack of regulation in this area is a huge problem.” Food Industry “This trend can be seen not only in misleading claims to trick busy parents, but also in misleading names where the ingredient names don't reflect the primary ingredients listed on the ingredient list. For example, snack foods and finger foods often list fruits or vegetables in their product names when they are primarily made with flour and other starches.”

Obesity among 2- to 5-year-olds in the United States has more than doubled since the 1970s, affecting about 13% of preschoolers, a situation that has worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“While reducing Childhood Obesity “While it was a priority under the Obama administration, it appears to have been neglected in recent years,” Dr Dunford added. “Our findings highlight the urgent need for better regulation and guidance in the US infant food market – the health of future generations depends on it.”

More information:
Assessment of the nutritional and promotional profiles of U.S. commercial foods for infants and young children; Nutrients (2024). DOI: 10.3390/nu16160000

Source
George Institute for Global Health

Citation: Study Finds Most Baby Foods Sold in U.S. Grocery Stores Are Unhealthy (August 21, 2024) Retrieved August 21, 2024 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-08-baby-foods-grocery-unhealthy.html

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