Sixty percent of commercial infant and toddler foods in the U.S. do not meet WHO nutritional standards, according to a recent study. This comes as obesity in children aged 2-5 has more than doubled in the U.S. since the 1970s, with approximately 13% of preschool children living with obesity.
Researchers evaluated the nutritional and promotional profiles of commercially available infant and toddler foods in the U.S. by assessing 651 products from the ten largest grocery chains using the World Health Organization's Nutrient and Promotion Profile Model (NPPM). The results indicated that 60% of the products did not meet the nutritional standards set by the NPPM, and none complied with the promotional guidelines. Nearly all products displayed at least one prohibited claim, with some presenting up to eleven such claims.
A total of 43.1% of the products met all the applicable nutritional composition criteria set by the WHO NPPM. Protein content had the lowest compliance among all products, with just 29.6% meeting the established standards. Compliance with total sugar recommendations was achieved by 55.6% of the products, with "dry or semi-dry snacks and finger foods" having particularly low compliance at 53.3%. Added free sugar or sweetener was present in 73.8% of "dry or semi-dry snacks and finger foods." Just 57.5% of the products included a suitable age-label claim. On average, each product featured 4.7 nutrition and health-related claims, with most of these claims being prohibited. Just 0.6% of products adhered to the guideline of not displaying prohibited claims on their packaging. None of the products included a front-of-pack high-sugar flag, as recommended by the NPPM.
The study, published in Nutrients, found that safety and environment claims (like "non-GM" and "no BPA") were the most common, followed by general health and nutrition claims (like "organic"). No products met the "ingredient list clarity" requirement.
Pouches made up 47.3% of the products, while 25.7% consisted of ready-to-eat jars, tubs, and containers. Baby food pouches are the fastest-growing products in the sector, with a 900% increase in sales proportion over the last 13 years. Snack-size packs failed to meet energy density requirements in 90.3% of cases. Snack-size packages showed the lowest compliance with nutritional requirements, particularly in terms of protein and sugar content.
The study noted conflicting information about pouch use, with some products warning against direct consumption from the spout while also stating they can be enjoyed that way.
The researchers suggest that there may be a need for regulatory action, particularly for convenience-style infant and toddler foods like snack and finger foods and pouches, which dominate the market. They recommend the implementation of guidelines in the U.S. like those in the WHO NPPM to ensure that foods marketed to infants and toddlers support healthy growth and development.
The authors describe their findings as a "wake-up call" for parents and policymakers, highlighting the urgent need for better regulation and guidance in the infant and toddler foods market in the U.S.
This study received no external funding, and the authors declare no conflicts of interest.