Baby food has too much sugar, says WHO

We think baby food is the safest thing to feed our baby. But turns out, that's not true. According to some recent investigation conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO), a lot of baby foods contain inappropriately high levels of sugar and are labelled incorrectly.

The studyThe World Health Organisation conducted two studies to find out the nutritional content of baby food products and investigated their marketing.

WHO collected data from 8,000 food and drink products that were marketed for infants and young children between November 2017 and January 2018 in four countries.

The resultIt was found that half the products attributed 30 per cent of their calories to sugar, while only one-third of them listed sugar, concentrated fruit juice and other sweetening agents as an ingredient.

WHO recommends…Up to 60 per cent of inspected food products were labelled as suitable for kids under six months, contrary to what WHO recommends - baby should only be breastfed up to six months.

Harmful effects of sugarAdded sugar and artificial sweeteners in baby foods can increase a child’s liking for sweet food as they grow. This, in turn, can increase the risk of obesity and tooth decay in kids as they grow up. The canned products for kids have even high level of sugar, as per WHO.

Importance of good nutrition in early childhoodGood nutrition in infancy is the key to ensure optimal child growth, development and better health later in life. Healthy food habits from childhood also help in preventing overweight, obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases.

TipParents need to recognise that babies have an innate preference for sweet taste. The key is that parents should not reinforce that preference and expose them to a variety of flavours and foods to expand their palate.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article should not be considered as a substitute for physician's advice. Please consult your treating physician for more details.