Action on Sugar, the expert group based at Queen Mary University of London, along with 16 NGOs (non-governmental organisations), are calling for the health secretary, Steve Barclay, to release the much-awaited ‘Commercial Baby Food and Drink Guidelines’ as data shows the main contributor of sugars in infants, aged four to nine months, is coming from shop brought baby foods – in particular fruit-based and cereal-based foods.
Introducing good nutrition early on is essential in developing a healthy relationship to, and preference for, healthy foods, and in supporting a baby’s future health. It is recommended that infants (before the age of two) should avoid sugar-sweetened drinks and food with added sugar, and, after this, free sugars should provide no more than five per cent of their daily energy intake (approximately 14g). However, shockingly, by the time children are 18 months, they are reportedly already consuming nearly 30g free sugars (7tsp) a day – the recommended maximum for an adult.
Although many baby food brands are already reducing sugars, there are still products marketed as suitable for infants and young children with unsuitably high levels of sugar. As illustrated in Table 1, the range in total sugar levels in similar products can be a whopping 64g difference!
Table 1. Highest total sugars product vs lowest total sugars product found in the baby aisle per 100g, per category
|
Food Category |
Highest Total Sugars (g) per 100g |
Lowest Total Sugars (g) per 100g |
Difference (g) per 100g |
|
Processed Fruit Snacks |
70.0 |
6.4 |
63.6 |
|
Fruit Bar Snacks |
61.0 |
10.0 |
51.0 |
|
Oat Bar Snacks |
30.0 |
18.2 |
11.8 |
|
Hard Baked Snacks |
29.0 |
2.5 |
26.5 |
|
Fruit Pouches |
19.5 |
6.3 |
13.2 |
|
Prepared Baby Rice |
12.0 |
8.3 |
3.7 |
|
Prepared Porridge |
9.2 |
2.8 |
6.4 |
|
Puffed / Aerated Snacks |
8.7 |
1.0 |
7.7 |
|
Rice Pudding |
8.6 |
5.2 |
3.4 |
|
Vegetable Pouches |
8.2 |
0.5 |
7.7 |
To improve the nutritional content of shop-brought baby foods, releasing the guidelines is therefore essential. The consequences of an unhealthy diet in the early years have a life-long impact on a person’s diet and health, which is why the commercial baby food and drink industry should do more to encourage a healthy diet.
In a Censuswide survey of 1,000 UK parents with children aged six to 36 months old, 91 per cent said they support the government in taking action to ensure all food and drinks available in the baby aisle are nutritionally appropriate according to NHS recommendations.
Three leading baby food companies have also signed an open letter to the health minister to call for the release of commercial baby food and drink guidelines, in order to create a level-playing field.
Zoe Davies, nutritionist at Action on Sugar, says, “Without doubt, both parents and children need to be supported for better health and it’s imperative that the baby food industry plays its part. The impact that good nutrition in early life has on someone’s future diet and health cannot be understated, which is why baby food guidelines are needed to ensure all food and drink products marketed to babies are nutritionally appropriate.”
Dr Kawther Hashem, campaign lead at Action on Sugar and research fellow at Queen Mary University of London, adds, “An unhealthy diet high in saturated fat, salt and sugar and low in fruit and vegetables is the biggest cause of preventable ill health globally. Given this, all food and drink companies should act responsibly and commit to improving their products as part of Government and NHS guidance and provide peace of mind for parents when buying foods for their young children.”