A study has found that two thirds of baby and toddler foods sold in the US don't meet nutritional requirements.
As well as this, it was uncovered that none of the products assessed met the promotional recommendations layed out by the World Health Organization (WHO) through its guidelines.
During the study, which has been published in Nutrients, 651 baby food products available for purchase in the US, were assessed for nutritional quality.
All of the baby foods involved in the study were sold at at least one of the ten most popular supermarkets in the country.
Researchers at the George Institute for Global Health found that 70% of the products they tested didn't contain sufficient protein levels, while nearly half exceeded daily sugar requirements.
Additionally, one in four products didn't meet the recommended calorie requirements, and 20% exceeded the recommended sodium levels for this age category.
Dr Elizabeth Dunford, Research Fellow at The George Institute, and Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina commented: “Early childhood is a crucial period of rapid growth and when taste preferences and dietary habits form, potentially paving the way for the development of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and some cancers later in life,”
“Time-poor parents are increasingly choosing convenience foods, unaware that many of these products lack key nutrients needed for their child’s development and tricked into believing they are healthier than they really are.”
Misleading labelling rife in the baby food market
As well as a number of products not meeting the recommended nutritional requirements, the study also highlighted issues with product labelling.
Almost every product assessed (99.4%) had labelling issues, with at least one prohibited claim featuring on its packaging, with statements like 'organic', 'non genetically modified', 'BPA-free' and 'no artificial colours/flavours' featuring on a range of these baby foods.
“Our findings highlight the urgent need for better regulation and guidance in the infant and toddler foods market in the United States - the health of future generations depends on it.” Concludes Dr Dunford.
