Does baby food contain too much sugar? This is what the association says Consumption Housing Living Environment (CLCV), which sifted through 207 products found in nine different retail brands last June and July. And the result is clear: 30% of the references contain “sweetening ingredients”.
White sugar, brown sugar, honey, dextrose, or even chocolate and caramel, they are present in different forms. For dairy products, the share of the offer containing this type of ingredient rises to 85%. A finding “all the more alarming given that 29% of children aged 2 to 4 are overweight and/or obese in 2021”, warns the consumer defense association.
These ingredients that promote weight gain
In addition, CLCV points to the presence of additives in nearly 38% of the products studied. This, although the number authorized in foods intended for young consumers is almost five times lower than that of conventional foods. Dairy products which contain thickeners, emulsifiers, and acidity regulators are the most affected.
The same goes for aromas, “present in a third of the references examined” and which present the risk of “influencing the taste preferences of children and their appetite for fatty and sweet foods”, deplores CLCV which sounds the alarm. The alarm over “the proliferation of snack and dessert type products in infant food aisles”, which “normalizes”, according to her, “the concept of snacking and taking sweet desserts at the end of a meal”.
Too lax European regulations
For the consumer association, responsibility is to be found on the side of European regulations, which are “obsolete” and “too permissive” towards manufacturers, and which would not meet the requirements of the World Organization for health (WHO).
If we take a closer look at the latest recommendations from the international agency published in 2022, we see that the WHO recommends “not adding sugar and sweetening agents”, “not not offer sweets and sugary drinks”, or not use nutritional or health claims, such as “Reduced in sugar”, “No added sugars”, “specially adapted to baby’s needs”, “Specially for Babies”. Directives which are “very little followed” in France, deplores CLCV.