Minnesota Parents Shocked! Most Baby Foods Lack Protein, Have Too Much Sugar and Salt!
A new study reveals that two-thirds of baby foods in the U.S. are dangerously low in protein and packed with too much sugar and salt. đ #News #StPaulMN #Minnesota #Parenting
ST. PAUL, MN – Parents in Minnesota are shocked to learn that some two-thirds of infant and toddler foods at U.S. grocery stores fail to meet nutritional requirements – this according to a new study.
Without U.S.-specific nutrition guidelines for the 651 analyzed baby foods, researchers from the George Institute for Global Health measured them against guidelines set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
They found that 70 percent of the analyzed products failed to meet protein requirements, and 44 percent exceeded recommended sugar limits.
About one in four products failed to meet total calorie requirements, while one in five exceeded recommended sodium limits.
âEarly 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,â Elizabeth Dunford, a Research Fellow at The George Institute and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina’s Department of Nutrition, said in a statement.
âTime-poor parents are increasingly choosing convenience foods, unaware that many of these products lack key nutrients needed for their childâs development and tricked into believing they are healthier than they really are,” she said.
Researchers found that baby food pouches are one of the fastest-growing product offerings, with a 900 percent increase in their proportion of sales over the last 13 years, but they were among the unhealthiest products studied.
The baby food sector is also rife with misleading marketing practices, according to the study, published in the journal Nutrients.
Nearly all the studied products, 99.4 percent, had at least one prohibited claim on their packaging. Products included four prohibited claims on average, with some making as many as 11 prohibited claims.
Common claims included “non genetically modified (GM)” (70 percent), “organic” (59 percent), “no BPA” (37 percent), and “no artificial colors/flavors” (25 percent).
âThe lack of regulation in this area leaves the door wide open for the food industry to deceive busy parents,â said Daisy Coyle, Research Fellow and Dietitian at The George Institute.
She said the claims create a so-called “health halo” around the products.
âWe saw this not only in the use of misleading claims but also in the use of misleading names, where the product name did not reflect the main ingredients found on the ingredient list,” she said.
âFor example, snack and finger foods often referred to fruit or vegetables in the product name, despite primarily being made of flour or other starches.”
The findings have serious implications for the rising rates of obesity in U.S. children, researchers say.
âOur findings highlight the urgent need for better regulation and guidance in the infant and toddler foods market in the United States – the health of future generations depends on it,” Dunford said.
Written by TMX staff, with additional reporting by Jack and Kitty Norton.
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