A recent study by The George Institute for Global Health found that nearly 60% of commercially made infant and toddler foods sold in U.S. grocery stores fail to meet World Health Organization nutritional standards.
Researchers analyzed 651 baby food products across 10 U.S. grocery chains and published their findings in the journal Nutrients.
The big picture: The study found that 70% of products failed to meet protein requirements, while 44% exceeded total sugar recommendations, and 25% didn’t meet calorie requirements.
- The study also found that convenience foods like snack pouches and finger foods were particularly problematic, often containing low protein levels and high amounts of sugar, energy and sodium.
What they’re saying: “Snack and finger foods, such as fruit bars, cereal bars, and puffed snacks, made up nearly 20% of products available for purchase in 2023 yet had some of the lowest compliance rates across the WHO’s nutrition and promotional criteria,” the study reads. “These foods contained low levels of protein and high levels of energy, sodium, and sugar and frequently contained added free sugars and sweeteners.”
- The George Institute fellow Elizabeth Dunford said the rising popularity of processed convenience foods for infants and young children is concerning.
- “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,” Dunford said.
- She continued, “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 really are.”
