Study: Lack of Nutritional Value Found in Almost 60% of US Baby Food

New study findings published in Nutrients announced that an alarmingly high amount of baby food purchased in grocery stores failed to meet nutritional requirements published in the nutrient and promotion profile model (NPPM) by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe. However, there are no current nutrition or promotional guidelines implemented for infant and toddler food in the US.¹

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"In this study, what they seem to be showing is that most of the processed baby foods that are sold in grocery stores contain very processed ingredients, high levels of salt, sugar, and fat," Ellie Erickson, MD, a pediatrician at Duke University, said in an interview with CBS News.²

Nutritional diets are essential during an infant's and toddler's first 1000 days of life as it paves the way for healthy growth development, tastes preferences, and dietary habits which could continue into adulthood, according to study authors.¹

"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," Erickson said in the interview.²

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the WHO published nutritional recommendations that included sole breastfeeding until the infant is 6 months before allowing solid food intake, and continuing breastfeeding for up to 2 years. The study authors noted that the USDA guidelines advise against feeding infants food that is high in added sugar and sodium. Regardless of the recommendations, infants and toddlers in the US and around the globe do need meet the highlighted suggestions.¹

In 2022, the WHO Regional Office for Europe published the NPPM guidelines to ensure commercial baby foods provide high nutritional value, aiding the growth and development for children aged 6 to 36 months.¹

Researchers assessed commercial infant and toddler foods that are sold in grocery stores and online in the US, comparing it to the WHO NPPM nutritional standards while evaluating the prevalence of the promotional claims that are marked in the product packaging. The study authors noted that researchers from the George Institute for Global Health examined 651 commercially produced infant and toddler foods from 10 different grocery store chains located in the US. Among the 651 items, 308 were pouched food and 25.7% were ready-to-eat jars, tubs, and containers.^1,2

The results showed that almost 60% of the commercial infant and toddler foods failed to meet nutritional composition standards and no products met the promotional standards recommended in the NPPM. The study authors noted that the overall performance was poor for total sugar and protein content provided in the foods, often available in snack-size packs. These include fruit bars, cereal bars, and puffed snacks, which are often sold due to their convenience. Additionally, the results found an average of 11 fabricated claims per pack, displayed on the product packaging.¹

“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,” said Erickson, in an interview with CBS News.²

The findings suggest a need for updated recommendations and mandatory guidelines to regulate nutritional quality limit deceptive claims that are used on commercial infant and toddler food. Pharmacists can aid caregivers by recommending a healthy balanced diet containing high vitamin D intake and supplementation.³ According to the CDC, children need a variety of vitamin D, iron, and zinc to support healthy development which could be found in a variety of foods.⁴

"There is convenience there, especially for things being shelf stable, but it doesn't have to be rocket science to make food for your baby. Simple, whole foods are going to be fine," said Erickson, in an interview with CBS News.²

REFERENCES

1. An Evaluation of the Nutritional and Promotional Profile of Commercial Foods for Infants and Toddlers in the United States. Nutrients. News release. August 21, 2024. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/16/2782.

2. Nearly 60% of baby foods in U.S. grocery stores don't meet nutrition standards, study finds. CBS News. August 22, 2024. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/baby-foods-nutrition-health-study/.

3. Vitamins for babies and young children. Archives of Disease in Childhood. News release. February 2, 2007. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2083301/.

4. CDC. Vitamins & Minerals. April 11, 2022. Accessed August 23, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/vitamins-minerals/index.html.