UNITED KINGDOM: The British Dental Association (BDA) recently said that government needs to take notice of the misleading marketing claims made by the children's food manufacturers
Latest findings show breakfast foods for adolescents and toddlers contain a high amount of sugar (upto 4 teaspoons) in each serving. However, more than half of such products in the market claim to have 'no added sugars' or 'only naturally occurring sugars' even though many of these contain sugars from fruit concentrates and purees. All of which are detrimental to dental health.
A BDA study of 109 baby pouches aimed at children aged under 12 months found over a quarter contained more sugar by volume than Coca Cola.
Whereas parents of toddlers are the target market for such products that reportedly contain 150% of the sugar levels of a soft drink
The BDA insists on there being accurate and transparent food labels on such products, including the complete removal of misleading nutrition and health claims on baby and toddler food products.
BDA Chair Eddie Crouch said: 'The food industry is walking parents down the garden path, pushing sugar-laden products as "healthy options".
'Claims of "no added sugar" are utterly meaningless when toddlers are receiving four teaspoons over breakfast.
'Tooth decay is the number one reason for hospital admission among young children, and Ministers can't remain bystanders. Action here is a prerequisite if we're ever going to turn the tables on wholly preventable diseases.'
