Too much sweetener and sugar in baby food – that’s what the world health organization (WHO) warns that is based on two new studies of the regional office for Europe. Investigations of 8000 baby products were, therefore, that approximately one-third of the products contained calories due to sugar. With regular consumption of Obesity and tooth decay, threatening the WHO office said.
The subject of the investigations, beverages like Smoothies, juice and tea as well as cereals and biscuits, but also soups, yogurt, milk powder, meat and fish dishes, which were explicitly advertised for babies and small children, were Ready – to-go. They came from more than 500 stores in the cities of Vienna, Sofia, Budapest and Haifa. A third of the products contained sugar, fruit juice concentrate or other sweetener.
Questionable Advertising
The reason for the concern in addition to the high content of free sugars in pureed baby food and their marketing. According to the study, 16 to 53 percent of the products are packaged so that they attract the attention of the children.
The European right doesn’t this contradict, but the international code of the WHO. The guidelines in 2016, rates from, to apply commercial baby foods for infants under six months. The had uses the producers, however, disagree.
Guidelines for the member States
In 2016 and 2017, the WHO a nutrient profile had developed the model and tested. It should help the member States to decide which foods are suitable for infants aged six to 36 months. Any soft drinks, including fruit juices, are therefore, for children under three years of age to be unsuitable, and should be marked accordingly.
To avoid Overweight and obesity, a good diet from infancy is necessary, emphasizing the WHO, Jakab, regional Director, Zsuzsanna. The WHO recommends babies to feed under six months exclusively with breast milk.
Labels say that foods are suitable for babies under six months, therefore, be misleading, experts said. Parents should check when shopping whether products, sugar, fruit juice, or sweetener is included.