New report highlights sugar content of baby and toddler foods
A new report has highlighted the shocking sugar content of some baby and toddler foods.
Research conducted by Action on Sugar suggests that some breakfast foods contain more than 4 teaspoons of sugar per serving. The charity has also raised concerns over marketing ploys, with over 75% of products promoted as healthy choices with labels including ‘no added sugars’ and ‘natural sugars only.’
The study has been published to coincide with Sugar Awareness Week, which runs from the 14th to the 20th November.
The latest findings revealed that the majority of products aimed at babies and toddlers contain sugars from fruit juices, purees and concentrates. This means that they have high sugar content despite being labelled as healthy products, which are low in sugar. Representatives from Action on Sugar have called for the health secretary, Steve Barclay, to implement new marketing guidelines to encourage parents to avoid sugar-laden foods for young children.
Some of the leading breakfast products for infants and toddlers contained more than 4 teaspoons of sugar per serving. This quantity is almost the same as the recommended daily intake for children aged over 5.
The new study comes after research carried out by the British Dental Association showed that over 20% of baby pouches had higher sugar content than fizzy drinks.
Founder of the Dental Wellness Trust, Dr Linda Greenwall, said that excess sugar “leads to toothache and suffering” and called for manufacturers to “dramatically reduce the unnecessary sugar added to their products” and the government to “fund oral health prevention and tooth brushing programmes in schools and nurseries.”
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