This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/jun/27/snacks-for-babies-and-infants-loaded-with-sugar-says-health-body
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Snacks for babies contain 'unacceptable' amounts of sugar – health body | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Public Health England has sharply criticised baby and infant food manufacturers for loading their products with unacceptably large amounts of sugar and wrongly promoting them as good for health. | |
| Sugar makes up almost half the content of fruit- and vegetable-based snacks for babies and infants, the agency has revealed in an exposé of the booming baby food market. | |
| “Some baby foods have far too much sugar in them and no one should consider this acceptable’, said Dr Alison Tedstone, PHE’s chief nutritionist. | |
| Food companies make so many nutritionally harmful products and breach official guidelines on children’s feeding so routinely that they are in danger of losing parents’ trust, she added. | |
| PHE highlighted snack foods aimed at young children, especially processed dried fruit, as a particular threat to infants’ health in a critique of the manufacturers involved. Many foods marketed as healthy snacks are loaded with sugar, it found. | |
| Eating too much sugar contributes to people having too many calories during the day, which can lead to weight gain. Being overweight increases the risk of health problems such as heart diseases, type 2 diabetes, and some forms of cancer. Sugar is also one of the main causes of tooth decay. | Eating too much sugar contributes to people having too many calories during the day, which can lead to weight gain. Being overweight increases the risk of health problems such as heart diseases, type 2 diabetes, and some forms of cancer. Sugar is also one of the main causes of tooth decay. |
| The NHS advises that most adults and children in the UK eat too much of a type of sugar called 'free sugars'. These are the sugars added to food and drinks, found in biscuits, chocolate, breakfast cereals and fizzy drinks. But they are also found naturally in honey and unsweetened fruit juices. | The NHS advises that most adults and children in the UK eat too much of a type of sugar called 'free sugars'. These are the sugars added to food and drinks, found in biscuits, chocolate, breakfast cereals and fizzy drinks. But they are also found naturally in honey and unsweetened fruit juices. |
| The UK government’s recommendation is that these 'free sugars' should not make up more than 5% of the calories you have every day. That is still quite a lot of sugar - it equates to seven sugar cubes worth for an adult. But bear in mind that one can of a fizzy drink can include the equivalent of 9 cubes of sugar. Children under 4 should avoid all sugar-sweetened drinks and food with added 'free sugars' in it. | The UK government’s recommendation is that these 'free sugars' should not make up more than 5% of the calories you have every day. That is still quite a lot of sugar - it equates to seven sugar cubes worth for an adult. But bear in mind that one can of a fizzy drink can include the equivalent of 9 cubes of sugar. Children under 4 should avoid all sugar-sweetened drinks and food with added 'free sugars' in it. |
| Sugar found naturally in milk, fruit and vegetables does not count as 'free sugars', so people do not need to cut down on them. | Sugar found naturally in milk, fruit and vegetables does not count as 'free sugars', so people do not need to cut down on them. |
| Martin Belam | Martin Belam |
| PHE voiced alarm about the content and marketing techniques involved as it launched an analysis of the content of 1,120 baby food and drink products aimed at children aged up to three years. | PHE voiced alarm about the content and marketing techniques involved as it launched an analysis of the content of 1,120 baby food and drink products aimed at children aged up to three years. |
| It said: “Some sweet snacks can contain as much sugar as confectionery. The highest sugar levels are seen in fruit and vegetable-based [products] (47.5g), and sweet finger foods (17g), per 100g.” | It said: “Some sweet snacks can contain as much sugar as confectionery. The highest sugar levels are seen in fruit and vegetable-based [products] (47.5g), and sweet finger foods (17g), per 100g.” |
| Tedstone said: “The baby food industry must be careful not to break the trust of parents.” It is promoting routine consumption of such foods as snacks to be eaten in between meals, at the expense of babies’ and children’s health, she added. | |
| “Early years feeding is crucial in shaping future taste preferences and healthy habits. With children of all ages consuming too much sugar, action is needed to address these practices,” she added. | “Early years feeding is crucial in shaping future taste preferences and healthy habits. With children of all ages consuming too much sugar, action is needed to address these practices,” she added. |
| Sweet makers 'using cartoon characters to appeal to children' | Sweet makers 'using cartoon characters to appeal to children' |
| PHE did not name the unhealthiest products it had found. However, Kiddylicious smoothie melts contain 67.7g of sugar per 100g. In a typical 6g packet, 4.1g is sugar, it acknowledges on its website. The sugar comes from the fruits in the melts, such as apple, blackcurrants, banana, mango and passion fruit. | PHE did not name the unhealthiest products it had found. However, Kiddylicious smoothie melts contain 67.7g of sugar per 100g. In a typical 6g packet, 4.1g is sugar, it acknowledges on its website. The sugar comes from the fruits in the melts, such as apple, blackcurrants, banana, mango and passion fruit. |
| Babylicious’s website says that: “Our smoothie melts only contain sugars that occur naturally in the fruit. Our strawberry and banana smoothie melts are made of 100% pure fruit, which we whizz up and then set into tasty bubbly bites that melt as soon as you put them on your tongue.” | Babylicious’s website says that: “Our smoothie melts only contain sugars that occur naturally in the fruit. Our strawberry and banana smoothie melts are made of 100% pure fruit, which we whizz up and then set into tasty bubbly bites that melt as soon as you put them on your tongue.” |
| Tedstone’s remarks came hours after the body representing Britain’s specialist children’s doctors warned that pouches and jars of baby food often contain excessive amounts of sugar and contribute to tooth decay, poor diet and obesity. | Tedstone’s remarks came hours after the body representing Britain’s specialist children’s doctors warned that pouches and jars of baby food often contain excessive amounts of sugar and contribute to tooth decay, poor diet and obesity. |
| It urged parents to give their offspring more bitter-tasting foods such as broccoli and spinach to help them avoid developing a sweet tooth at such a young age. | It urged parents to give their offspring more bitter-tasting foods such as broccoli and spinach to help them avoid developing a sweet tooth at such a young age. |
| The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said that so many baby products contain such high sugar levels that ministers should introduce mandatory upper limits. | The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said that so many baby products contain such high sugar levels that ministers should introduce mandatory upper limits. |
| Tedstone said PHE’s review had uncovered some worrying findings, including: | Tedstone said PHE’s review had uncovered some worrying findings, including: |
| Some of the foods marketed as healthy snacks have the highest sugar content. | Some of the foods marketed as healthy snacks have the highest sugar content. |
| Manufacturers are promoting snacking on sweet foods. | Manufacturers are promoting snacking on sweet foods. |
| Many foods are being marketed as suitable for babies aged just four months even though official health guidelines say that weaning should not start until six months and that babies should be breastfed until then. | Many foods are being marketed as suitable for babies aged just four months even though official health guidelines say that weaning should not start until six months and that babies should be breastfed until then. |
| Some of the foods marketed as healthy snacks have the highest sugar content. | Some of the foods marketed as healthy snacks have the highest sugar content. |
| Manufacturers are promoting snacking on sweet foods. | Manufacturers are promoting snacking on sweet foods. |
| Many foods are being marketed as suitable for babies aged just four months even though official health guidelines say that weaning should not start until six months and that babies should be breastfed until then. | Many foods are being marketed as suitable for babies aged just four months even though official health guidelines say that weaning should not start until six months and that babies should be breastfed until then. |
| “This [research] shows the food industry could do more to support parents in making the best food choices for their children. Snacking and sweet foods are being promoted while parents are being encouraged to introduce solids earlier than recommended,” added Tedstone. | “This [research] shows the food industry could do more to support parents in making the best food choices for their children. Snacking and sweet foods are being promoted while parents are being encouraged to introduce solids earlier than recommended,” added Tedstone. |
| Calling for widespread reformulation of baby food products, PHE urged manufacturers to: | Calling for widespread reformulation of baby food products, PHE urged manufacturers to: |
| Improve their nutritional content. | Improve their nutritional content. |
| Ensure they always use “clear, consistent and honest labelling and marketing of products”. | Ensure they always use “clear, consistent and honest labelling and marketing of products”. |
| Label products that are high in sugar as unsuitable for eating in between meals. | Label products that are high in sugar as unsuitable for eating in between meals. |
| And limit the use of “implied health claims” on baby food products. | And limit the use of “implied health claims” on baby food products. |
| Improve their nutritional content. | Improve their nutritional content. |
| Ensure they always use “clear, consistent and honest labelling and marketing of products”. | Ensure they always use “clear, consistent and honest labelling and marketing of products”. |
| Label products that are high in sugar as unsuitable for eating in between meals. | Label products that are high in sugar as unsuitable for eating in between meals. |
| And limit the use of “implied health claims” on baby food products. | And limit the use of “implied health claims” on baby food products. |
| PHE concluded that: “The available evidence demonstrates there is a need for action, showing that infants and young children are eating too much sugar and salt, and energy intakes are exceeding requirements. Around one in five children aged two to four years are overweight or obese, and 12% of three-year-olds have visible tooth decay.” | PHE concluded that: “The available evidence demonstrates there is a need for action, showing that infants and young children are eating too much sugar and salt, and energy intakes are exceeding requirements. Around one in five children aged two to four years are overweight or obese, and 12% of three-year-olds have visible tooth decay.” |
| Sugar | Sugar |
| Children | Children |
| Nutrition | Nutrition |
| Diets and dieting | Diets and dieting |
| Food & drink industry | Food & drink industry |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |