New research shows 60% of baby foods in US grocery stores are unhealthy

22 Aug 2024 --- Researchers from the George Institute for Global Health assessed data on 651 infant and toddler food products sold in the top ten US grocery chains and found that 70% failed to meet protein requirements and 44% exceeded total sugar requirements. One in four products did not meet calorie requirements and one in five exceeded recommended sodium limits.

According to the study outcome published in the scientific journal Nutrients, 60% of infant and toddler foods fail to meet nutritional recommendations, and none meet promotional requirements set by World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

The researchers conducted the study because no US-specific nutrition or promotional guidelines exist for these foods. The products were listed in the institute’s FoodSwitch database.

“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,” says Dr. Elizabeth Dunford, research fellow at George Institute for Global Health and adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina.

“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 are.”

Convenience foods make it worse

The rising popularity of processed convenience foods for infants and young children was most concerning to the researchers, who found that baby food pouches are the fastest-growing products in the sector, with a 900% increase in sales in the last 13 years. 

The study observed that pouches ranked among the unhealthiest products, with less than 13% meeting total sugar recommendations. Around 99.4% of the tested products featured at least one prohibited claim on the packaging. Claims like these create a “health halo” around products.

“The lack of regulation in this area leaves the door wide open for the food industry to deceive busy parents. We saw this not only in the use of misleading claims but also in the use of misleading names, where the product name did not reflect the main ingredients found on the ingredient list,” says Dr. Daisy Coyle, research fellow and dietitian at The George Institute.

“For example, snack and finger foods often referred to fruit or vegetables in the product name, despite primarily being made of flour or other starches.”

On average, the products displayed four prohibited claims, with some showing as many as 11. Common claims included non-genetically modified (70%), organic (59%), no BPA (37%) and no artificial colors or flavors (25%).

Far reaching ramifications

Obesity in children aged two to five has more than doubled in the US since the 1970s, with approximately 13% of preschool children living with obesity, the researchers state. This has worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“While reducing childhood obesity was a priority under the Obama administration, the issue appears to have fallen by the wayside in recent years. Our findings highlight the urgent need for better regulation and guidance in the infant and toddler foods market in the US. The health of future generations depends on it,” Dunford concludes.

Meanwhile, US-based researchers found a high likelihood that some of the most popular baby products in supermarkets — rice cereals, infant formula, puffs and purees — contain the toxic chemicals arsenic, lead, mercury and cadmium. The researchers from the University at Buffalo, New York, stress that there are no strict regulations for these commercial products.

In addition, researchers suggest early treatment of obesity in children is effective in the short and long term. The six-year study followed 170 children in Sweden who received treatment for diagnosed obesity. The parental support groups did not involve the children and instead focused on how parents could positively promote healthy lifestyles in the family without conflict.