Should you worry about children’s food in the grocery store?

As a parent, you naturally want to provide your children with nutritious food. So it’s understandable if you’re worried about the recent news that 60% of baby food doesn’t meet standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The study was published in NutrientsDr Daisy Coyle, the study’s lead researcher and co-lecturer in food policy, said the infant and toddler foods found on supermarket shelves did not meet nutritional recommendations and did not meet promotional standards set by the World Health Organization. University of Wales.

“We found that all but four products had at least one prohibited claim on their packaging, with an average of four prohibited claims per pack,” Dr Coyle said. “These claims often put a ‘health halo’ on a product, tricking busy parents into thinking the product is much healthier than it actually is.”

Study evaluates children’s food

Dr. Coyle and her team tested 651 products from eight North Carolina food retailers, including Kroger, Costco, Publix, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Target, Aldi and Ahold Del Rey Hereby. They also include products from Safeway and HEB websites. So they looked at the various baby and toddler foods available in the baby food section of their local supermarket, divided into the following categories:

• Dry grains and starches
• dairy
• Fruit and vegetable purees, smoothies and fruit desserts
• Savory meals and dietary ingredients (including combinations of starches, vegetables, dairy or traditional proteins)
• Snacks and Finger Foods
• candy
• drinks

Cherilyn Davis (Cecchini), MD, FAAP, board-certified pediatrician One person who was not involved in the study noted that foods that did not meet the standards often contained too little protein and too much sugar. In fact, the researchers found that only about 30% of these products met the World Health Organization’s protein recommendations, and only 56% met the sugar guidelines. In addition, the World Health Organization prohibits many claims, such as “pesticide-free,” “organic,” and “preservative-free.”

“These findings are particularly evident in fruit bars, cereal bars, puffed and bagged snacks and finger foods,” Dr. Davis said.

In fact, these meals are convenient, especially on the go, adds Dr. Davis. Parents shouldn’t feel bad about this. “It’s OK if your child eats these types of foods occasionally,” says Dr. Davis. “They’re unlikely to be harmful when consumed in moderation.”

That said, if consumed daily, they may increase the risk of childhood obesity, Dr. Coyle said. “Obesity among U.S. children ages 2 to 5 has more than doubled since the 1970s, with approximately 13 percent of preschoolers suffering from obesity.”

She added that childhood obesity also often carries over into adulthood, which can lead to health problems such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. “We need better regulation of these foods to support the health of our youngest generations.”

What to look out for when buying children’s food

Knowing that baby and toddler foods may not be exactly what they claim to be, experts recommend ignoring the marketing claims and talking with your child’s healthcare provider or nutritionist for advice on how to feed your child. When shopping, check labels carefully.

“Ingredient lists and nutrition labels more accurately describe what’s in a product,” Dr. Coyle said.

In the United States, for example, added sugars must be labeled on the Nutrition Facts panel, so Dr. Coyle advises parents to turn products over to check the added sugar content and choose the product with the lowest amount of added sugar.

“Parents and carers should know what they are feeding their children, and the only way to achieve this is to carefully check the ingredients in the product,” she said.

Kimberly Kramer, a clinical nutritionist at Nemours Children’s Health Center in the Delaware Valley, says ideally, commercially prepared infant purees should contain a small number of ingredients, usually just key fruits, vegetables or protein and water. to ensure proper consistency. “Baby cereals such as rice and oatmeal should be fortified with vitamins and minerals that are important for growth and brain development.”

Cramer also recommends refraining from labeling foods as “good” and “bad” when discussing food in front of children. She said there are many foods that can be included in a child’s balanced, nutritionally complete diet. “Sticking to options made from whole foods and limited added ingredients is key.”

Commercial food alternatives you can try

When deciding what to feed your baby or toddler, Dr. Davis recommends choosing fresh foods that are low in sodium, sugar, and high in protein and nutrients like iron and calcium whenever possible.

“Your baby can eat whatever you are eating, so this often saves time rather than preparing a separate meal,” says Dr. Davis. “When they’re ready for finger foods, look for soft, easy-to-swallow foods such as bananas, avocados, mashed berries, eggs, cooked pasta, fish fillets, peas, mashed potatoes, yogurt and oats piece. ”

Likewise, baby food is a supplement to breast milk or iron-fortified formula, says neonatal nutritionist Chelsea Britton, MS, RD, LD, CLC, CNSC, of ​​Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s clinical lactation and nutrition team. Both breast milk and iron-fortified infant formula meet most of a baby’s nutritional needs during the first year of life.

“Food before age 1 is just for fun,” she said. “This takes some of the pressure off families because they know the goal is to introduce a variety of foods from different food groups – whether store-bought or homemade – without necessarily having a major impact.

She also said parents and caregivers are not limited to the few baby foods available on the shelves. “Natural purees such as yogurt, hummus, cannellini beans and chopped avocado are all popular choices,” she says. “Meanwhile, puffs and teethers are often developmentally beneficial for older babies. However, they are also less nutrient dense. These have their place but should be used in conjunction with table foods.”

What makes the most sense for your family’s lifestyle is what’s best for your children, she says. Health care providers and nutritionists can offer support and provide food advice, she adds, but ultimately the key is “what’s best for what you eat.”