Packed full of sugar: Infant nutrition study warns of food pouch perils

03 Dec 2019 --- A University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus study has revealed that infant and toddler foods sold in pouches have lower nutritional value than foods sold in jars and other packaging. High levels of sugar were found in some pouches, an issue exacerbated by the researchers’ discovery that products in pouches are almost twice as common as those sold in jars or other packaging, such as trays. Pouches were found to contain blends of fruits and vegetables and be less likely to contain single vegetable product compared to alternative packaging types.

“The high level of sugars in some pouches is potentially concerning because pouches are coming to dominate the market for infant and toddler foods,” comments Kameron Moding, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Studies for Purdue University, US. “While pouch products are popular and convenient, the nutritional profiles differ from products sold in other packages, particularly with respect to sugars coming from fruits.”

The researchers evaluated the contents of 548 products. Of those, products in pouches totaled 274, nearly twice as many as sold in other packaging, including jars and trays, that were made by companies based in the US. These products were reviewed for their ingredients and evaluated for their nutritional content, as well as the age of children targeted to consume the product.Pouches were found to more often contain blends of fruits and vegetables than other packaging types, and be less likely to contain single vegetable product.

One of the key findings was that pouches more commonly had blends of fruits and vegetables than other packaging types. Pouches also were less likely to contain single vegetable product. Previous studies have indicated that incorporating dark green vegetables into the diets of infants and toddlers is limited perhaps because of a lack of commercially prepared single-vegetable products.

“Since early experiences with flavors and textures of foods may provide the foundation for later food acceptance, it is important to expose infants to a wide variety of flavors, textures, and nutrient-dense foods,” continues Moding.

More studies needed
According to national estimates, between one-third and half of infants in the US consume at least some commercially prepared infant and toddler foods, with infants between six months and eight months of age being most likely to consume these products.

“We need to conduct more studies to understand whether the sugar contents of these pouch products reinforce infants’ innate preference for sweetness and influence the trajectory of the transition to family foods,” urges Moding. “We do know that infant and toddler foods that contain fruit purees and juice concentrates may create ‘health halos’ that lead caregivers to believe such blends are more healthful than they truly are, especially when they are high in sugars, but low in fiber.”

The findings of the study are published in the current issue of the journal Nutrition Today. Moding conducted the research as a postdoctoral fellow at CU School of Medicine, working with Susan Johnson, PhD, Professor of Pediatrics at CU, who is senior author of the study.

Although the numbers are in decline, nearly 61 percent of infants and 98 percent of toddlers still consume added sugars in their average daily diets, primarily in the form of flavored yogurts and fruit drinks. This is according to a recent study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

On a more positive note, the share of children and adolescents consuming sugar-sweetened beverages and the calories they consume from them has declined dramatically between 2003 and 2014, according to a new study from the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Edited by Joshua Poole