None of the baby products analyzed meet the promotional requirements set by the World Health Organization (WHO) either.
The study precisely assessed the composition of 651 infant and toddler food products sold in the 10 largest U.S. food chains. This analysis of nutrients and ingredients reveals that:
- 70% of these baby foods do not meet protein needs;
- 44% exceed recommended total sugar intakes;
- 25% do not meet calorie needs;
- 20% exceed recommended sodium intakes.
One of the lead authors, Dr. Elizabeth Dunford, a researcher at the George Institute and professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina, warns of the growing popularity of ready-to-eat processed foods for infants and young children: « early childhood is a crucial period of development and formation of taste preferences and eating habits. Such foods can pave the way for the development of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and certain cancers later in life.”
No ultra-processed for babies! Time-poor parents are increasingly choosing ready-to-eat foods, also for babies and young children, without knowing that many of these products lack essential nutrients needed for child development.
- baby food pouches are the fastest growing products in the industry, with a 900% increase in sales over the last 13 years. However, these sachets are classified among the most harmful products for health, with less than 7% of them respecting the recommendations in terms of total sugar;
- deceptive marketing practices are numerous, with almost all (99.4%) products displaying at least one prohibited claim on their packaging;
- on average, products display 4 prohibited claims, some displaying up to 11;
- Common claims include “non-genetically modified (GMO)” (70%), “organic” (59%), “BPA-free” (37%), and “no artificial colors or flavors” (25%).
“The lack of regulation has left the door wide open for the food industry to deceive parents”write the authors, and, at the same time, still in the United States, obesity among 2-5 year olds has more than doubled in 50 years.
Conclusions which underline the urgency of new regulations and nutritional recommendations for the diet of young children.
