Children's Nutrition

Soda’s popularity on kids’ menus beginning to fizz out

25 July 2017 --- The percentage of major restaurant chains that offer sugary drinks on their children’s menus has decreased from 93 percent to 74 percent since 2008, according to a new report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). But the consumer lobby group warns that despite the significant decrease, chains owe it to families to improve their children’s beverages even further.

US Study Links Food Allergies to Childhood Anxiety

03 Jul 2017 --- Children with a food allergy have a significantly higher prevalence of childhood anxiety, according to a new US study. Researchers studied the link between food allergy and childhood anxiety and depression among a sample of predominantly low socioeconomic status minority children. However, food allergies were not associated with symptoms of childhood depression or with symptoms of anxiety or depression among their caregivers. 

UK Rules on Junk Food Ads Coming Into Force, Industry Responds Positively

30 Jun 2017 --- A new set of rules banning the advertising of high fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) food or drink products in traditional and online children’s media and other sites is set to come into force in the UK tomorrow. The new Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) rules pertain to media channels where children make up over 25 percent of the audience. Representatives of the UK Food and Drink Federation and advocacy groups have responded positively to the changes.

Eighty-Five Percent of Spanish Children Consume too Much Salt

30 Jun 2017 --- Salt is a hidden enemy in children’s diets. However, we first need to know the sources of dietary salt intake before we can reduce it. This is according to a study by Spanish researchers, who suggest that over 80 percent of Spanish schoolchildren consume excessive amounts of salt. Consuming too much salt is associated with greater risk of high blood pressure, osteoporosis and obesity. 

FSAI Launches Consultation on Vitamin D Supplements for Infants in Ireland

29 Jun 2017 --- The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today announced that it is holding a public consultation on the criteria for 5µg Vitamin D only supplements to be listed as suitable for infants in Ireland. The online consultation started yesterday and will be held until 11 August. FSAI invites caregivers, health professionals, food supplement manufacturers, food businesses and any other interested parties to take part. This consultation is in the form of a survey which can be found on the FSAI website.

More than Half of Foods Aimed at Children are Unhealthy, Australian Survey Shows

28 Jun 2017 --- New research by Australia’s Obesity Policy Coalition (OPC) has found that more than half of supermarket products marketed at kids are unhealthy. The OPC surveyed 186 packaged foods with cartoons or character promotions designed to attract children and found that 52 percent were classified as unhealthy by the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) Nutrient Profiling Scoring Criterion calculator, which looks at the amount of energy and certain nutrients (e.g. saturated fat, sugars, sodium) present in the food.

Food for Thought: UK Teenagers Losing Learning Time Due to Hunger

27 Jun 2017 --- Teenage pupils in high school can lose around 51 minutes’ worth of vital learning time a day because their concentration levels dip due to hunger. This is according to the results of a survey conducted in the UK by Kellogg’s. The survey results show that 82 percent of teachers in Britain have seen teens arriving at school hungry every day. And nearly four in 10 teachers believed one reason children in their class were hungry was due to their parents being unable to afford food for breakfast.

Buhler Awarded Contract to Support Food Fortification Program in Pakistan

26 Jun 2017 --- To support the fortification of staple foods in Pakistan, the UK-based Food Fortification Program has awarded Bühler a multi-million contract to supply more than 1000 micro feeders in 2017 and 2018. The program is funded with US$48 million from the UK’s Department for International Development. By directly supporting local mills and food factories, the program is aiming to have a substantial impact on the well-being of close to 100 million people.

Tackling Obesity in Kids and Adolescents: Getting Physical, Changing Diet and Behavior is Key

22 Jun 2017 --- Some of the latest health evidence points toward changing diets and increasing physical activity and patterns of behavior as the most significant ways to tackle obesity in kids and adolescent. Two recently published Cochrane Reviews are the last in a series of related systematic reviews summarizing evidence on the effects of different interventions for treating obesity and overweight in childhood and adolescence. 

Childhood Infections Linked to Increased Risk for Celiac Disease

21 Jun 2017 --- A new study has found infections during infancy may lead to an increased risk for gluten intolerance (celiac disease). According to the research, the risk is particularly high in the case of repeated gastrointestinal infections in the first year of life. This conclusion was drawn by scientists of the Institute for Diabetes Research at Helmholtz Zentrum München, a partner in the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), after analyzing data provided by the Bavarian Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians.

Researchers Explore Link Between Folic Acid and Food Allergies

06 Jun 2017 --- The newly closed congress on One Carbon Metabolism and its link with Folate, SAMe and Glutathione - ICHOCM 2017 - has offered new thoughts about the role of folic acid supplementation in pregnancy and its implications in food allergies outcome in children. The increased prevalence of childhood allergic diseases has been well-documented from the 1990s on, but the reasons for this increase are largely unknown. Current evidence points to a multifactorial etiology with a complex genetic predisposition, interacting with key environmental factors, including dietary changes.

Childhood Obesity Has Long-Term Health Implications: UK Study

31 May 2017 --- Obesity in childhood has long-term health implications stretching into adulthood and predicts the risk of adult adiposity, which is associated with the earlier onset of cardiovascular disease, this is according to a new study in the journal Obesity Reviews. Conducting a meta-analysis on data collected from over 300,000 participants across 18 studies, researchers from the University of Surrey identified increased arterial damage and enhanced likelihood of pre-diabetes in participants who were obese in childhood. 

Experts Confirm GRAS Status for Lallemand’s ProbioKid Formula

30 May 2017 --- Lallemand's ProbioKid and its specific probiotic strains by yeast and bacteria specialists have been recognized as safe in the US and Canada. Confirming GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status, an expert panel has recognized that both the ProbioKid formula and individual probiotic strains (Lactobacillus helveticus Rosell-52, Bifidobacterium infantis Rosell-33, Bifidobacterium bifidum Rosell71) are safe for infants and children. This includes their use in infant formula. 

Obesity Contributes to Cardiovascular Ill-Health, Even in Young People

29 May 2017 --- Although higher than normal body mass index (BMI) is known to lead to cardiovascular ill-health in mid-to-late life, there has been limited investigation of its effect in young, apparently healthy, adults. Researchers have now shown that having a higher BMI can cause worse cardiovascular health in those aged as young as 17, according to a study presented at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics on Sunday.

EFSA Publishes New Guidance on Infant Formula from Protein Hydrolysates

12 May 2017 --- New guidance published by EFSA will assist applicants in preparing and presenting dossiers for authorisation of infant and/or follow-on formulae manufactured from protein hydrolysates. It will also help applicants in preparing dossiers to assess a product’s efficacy in reducing the risk of infants becoming allergic to milk proteins. 

Taking Folic Acid Throughout Pregnancy May Increase Children’s Emotional Intelligence

12 May 2017 --- Taking folic acid supplements throughout pregnancy may improve psychological development in children. That is the finding of research by Professor Tony Cassidy and colleagues from Ulster University who presented their study on 4 May to the Annual Conference of the British Psychological Society in Brighton.

Ireland to Become First Country to Restrict Junk Food Marketing Aimed at Children

10 May 2017 --- Ireland is set to become the first country globally to restrict unhealthy food sponsorships aimed at children of primary school age, once a newly developed code of practice is launched. The code, developed jointly by the Department of Health, the HSE, food companies and advertisers alike, has the objective of reducing people’s exposure to the marketing of food and drinks which are high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS).

DSM Reveal Untapped Potential for Maternal Nutrition Products

10 May 2017 --- DSM Nutritional Products is unveiling the results of a new survey into maternal supplement usage behavior in pregnant women and new mothers with children of up to two years old at Vitafoods Europe 2017. The findings from 1,216 respondents across Europe revealed that supplement intake peaked during pregnancy and very early motherhood, with 87% of respondents reporting consumption of vitamin supplements or fortified products whilst pregnant and 75% purchasing in the first 6 months post-partum.

FrieslandCampina DOMO Launch Organic Infant Syrup

09 May 2017 --- In response to increasing consumer demand for organic infant formula, FrieslandCampina DOMO has become the first producer to globally introduce organic GOS syrup. This organic dairy ingredient is rich in non-digestible galacto-oligosaccharides, produced from organic-certified lactose using a proprietary enzymatic technology. 

Lallemand Probiotic Strains Recognized as Safe in North America For Children

08 May 2017 --- Lallemand Health Solutions has announced that in both of the US and Canada, its ProbioKid is recognized as safe for infants, toddlers and young children, based on extensive safety and efficacy documentation. The panel has recognized that both the ProbioKid formula and individual probiotic strains (Lactobacillus helveticus Rosell-52, Bifidobacterium infantis Rosell-33, Bifidobacterium bifidum Rosell-71) are safe for infants and children, including their use in infant formula, confirming the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status for this population category.