TOO MUCH SUGAR IN BABY FOODS--WHO

The World Health Organisation has expressed immense concern of the existence of too much sugar in Baby foods on market across the world.

A new report released by the WHO to update guidelines for infant diets, stressed that too much sugar poses a source of health concern, especially over weight and dental cavities, while inducing a lifetime eating habit in favour of sugary foods.

The UN specialised agency on public health, based the conclusion on an examination by its European office of about 8,000 baby food products on shelf between November 2017 and January 2018.

In around half of the products examined, more than 30 per cent of calories were from total sugars and around a third of products contained added sugar or other sweetening agents.

The examination that covered more than 500 stores in Austria, Bulgaria, Israel and Hungary also finds the labels of up to 60 per cent of the inspected food are misleading by claiming to suit infants under six months old.

The WHO has long recommended that “infants receive exclusively breast milk for the first six months of life.”

Nations are advised to make new laws on curbing high sugar intake, ban added sugars and sweeteners in baby foods, and put an end to the promotion of breast milk substitutes.