Jarmageddon?
Sixty percent of infant and toddler foods sold in the US are not as nutritious as they might seem, according to a new study from the George Institute for Global Health.
The Australia-headquartered research group compared data on 651 commercial baby foods to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, finding that 70% failed to meet protein standards and 44% exceeded total sugar requirements.
“The bottom line is, these foods should not make up the bulk of the diet for young children, but instead be used as part of their diet if and when needed,” Elizabeth Dunford, a George Institute research fellow and University of North Carolina adjunct assistant professor, told The Post.
“We just hope manufacturers can work together to better inform parents what is in the foods they are buying,” she added.
Institute researchers blasted baby food manufacturers for “misleading” marketing claims.
“For example, snack and finger foods often referred to fruit or vegetables in the product name, despite primarily being made of flour or other starches,” said Daisy Coyle, a George Institute research fellow and dietitian.
While popular, pouches were among the unhealthiest products the George Institute assessed. Fruit-based pouches can contain a lot of sugar, the researchers reported.
WHO doesn’t want baby foods to have added sugars, including concentrated fruit juice, and supports sodium limits. Products that tout a protein on the front of the package should contain a certain amount of that protein, be it fish, poultry or meat.
“I encourage parents to flip the product over and look at the nutrition label and the ingredient list,” Dunford told The Post. “Looking for products that are lower in sugar (per pouch) and with ingredients that they recognize is a good start!”
Dunford and her colleagues, whose findings were published Wednesday in the scientific journal Nutrients, are “urgently” calling for more US government regulation on infant and toddler foods. They noted our growing childhood obesity epidemic.
US lawmakers recently introduced the Baby Food Safety Act of 2024, which would empower the Food and Drug Administration to limit toxic heavy metals in commercial baby food.
The legislation follows several reports of contaminants like lead and arsenic making their way into food products for babies and toddlers. The FDA recalled fruit puree pouches last year after they were found to be tainted with lead, sickening dozens of kids.