The alarming findings were revealed in a new national health study published on Aug. 21.
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Nearly two-thirds of baby food sold in U.S. supermarkets has been found to contain unhealthy ingredients, according to a new study.
Around 60% of 651 baby food products marketed to infants aged 6 months to 36 months in 10 retailers across the country have failed to meet nutritional and advertising guidelines, a study by the World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed.
The alarming findings were published in the journal Nutrients on Wednesday, Aug. 21. The study found that 44% of products exceeded sugar recommendations and 20% went over sodium guidelines. In addition, 70% of the baby food also failed to meet protein recommendations.
Eight stores located in Raleigh, N.C., were surveyed between March and May 2023, per Forbes. They include Target, Kroger, Costco, Ahold Delhaize, Publix, Sam’s Club, Target and Aldi. Data from the two other stores, H-E-B and Safeway, was collected online.
The brand names of the baby food products researched were not shared in the study.
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Under WHO’s nutritional standards for infants, flavored or sweetened drinks cannot be advertised as baby food. Guidelines also include no addition of free sugars and concentrated fruit juice, sugar not exceeding 15% of overall calories, and a calorie limit in general for baby food, Forbes reports.
Dr. Elizabeth Dunford, an adjunct assistant professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina, told CNN, “Research shows 50% of the sugar consumed from infant foods comes from pouches … those were some of the worst offenders.”
Promotional guidelines state that a minimum and maximum age limit must be listed on baby food products and no false marketing of ingredients.
False marketing was another serious issue highlighted in the study as 99% of baby foods were discovered to have “misleading” marketing.
Each product was found to have at least four prohibited claims with the most common phrases used being “organic” at 59%, “no artificial colors/flavors” at 25% and “non-genetically modified” at 70%, per Forbes.
The product names were also found to be misleading, with snack and finger foods typically coined as fruit or vegetables “despite primarily being made of flour or other starches,” Dr. Daisy Coyle, research fellow and dietician at the George Institute, said, per Forbes.
“The lack of regulation in this area leaves the door wide open for the food industry to deceive busy parents,” Coyle added in a statement, per CNN.
Dr. Mark Corkins, St. Jude Endowed Chair in Pediatric Gastroenterology at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Tennessee, told the outlet, “One of the biggest concerns about baby and toddler foods are the often fictitious health claims on the front of products. Some of them are blatant, some are implied, and they may be misleading parents and guardians.”
“A concerned, well-meaning parent will read claims like wholesome and nutritious and will not only buy those products but spend more money on them because of the claims,” he added.
