Is Your Baby’s Food Healthy? New Research Raises Concerns

A new study serves up startling information about the lack of nutritional benefits of many baby and toddler foods.

The study, published by the journal Nutrients, found that nearly 60% of the 651 baby and toddler foods tested by researchers failed to meet World Health Organization nutritional requirements. Researchers from the George Institute for Global Health assessed nutrients in baby and toddler foods (for kids ages 6 months to 3 years) available at 10 U.S. grocery chains in 2023.

Among all the products, the lowest WHO compliance rate was for “protein content” (29.6%) and the highest was for “total fat” (92.7%). Among food categories, the lowest compliance rate was 0% for “savory meals/meal components without protein or cheese,” “dry or semi-dry snacks and finger foods” and “ingredients.” The highest compliance rate among food categories was 68.8% for “vegetable-only purees/smoothies/desserts.”

Overall, more than 70% of products fell short of protein requirements and 44% exceeded sugar recommendations. In addition, one-fourth of products had added sugar or sweeteners, and one-fifth failed to meet sodium requirements.

The study also faulted numerous claims made on food packages. Almost all the products made at least one on-package claim that was prohibited under WHO guidelines, with some products displaying up to 11 prohibited claims, the researchers said.

“This study found that no commercially produced infant and toddler food products available for purchase from the top 10 grocery store retailers in the United States met international standards for nutrition and product promotion,” the researchers concluded. “These findings should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers.”

Calls for more regulation of baby food ingredients

The study of nutrients in baby and toddler foods follows the release in 2021 of a congressional report that revealed high levels of harmful heavy metals in baby and toddler foods. These heavy metals included lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury.

A study published in 2019 by Health Babies Bright Futures identified the baby and toddler foods most contaminated by heavy metals:

• Rice cakes
• Crisped rice cereal
• Rice-based puffs
• Brown rice
• Rice-based
• Teething biscuits and rusks
• White rice
• Raisins
• Non-rice teething crackers
• Granola bars with raisins,
• Oat-ring cereals

The proposed Baby Food Safety Act of 2024, now pending in Congress, would enable the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to enforce scientifically established limits on heavy metals in baby and toddler foods sold by retailers. The legislation also would beef up the FDA’s ability to enforce more stringent safety standards for commercial baby foods.

Responding to the study about nutrients, pediatric nutritionist and dietitian Jill Castle told PBS News that the market for baby and toddler food in the U.S. is like the “wild, wild West.”

“Over the last decade, the baby food market has really exploded, and we don’t have regulations … that really tell manufacturers what those products need to include,” Castle said.

While the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans include guidance for food eaten by children under age 2, regulatory standards for baby and toddler food are lacking, Castle said. As a result, parents may be confused about which foods are and are not appropriate for infants and toddlers.

The Happiest Baby website points out that the FDA doesn’t require food manufacturers to follow “for-babies-only specifications.” Rather, it imposes rules governing the manufacturing of all foods.

How to choose healthy baby food

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends starting a baby on solid foods around 6 months of age. Before that, an infant ideally should be breastfed.

Happiest Baby offers these shopping tips for store-bought baby and infant foods:

Check the first ingredient.

If you’re buying pureed pumpkin, for example, look for pumpkin as the first ingredient listed. Food labels list ingredients in order of most amount to least amount.

Avoid added sugars.

Natural sugars are fine, but added sugars are not. Hunt for products that say “no sugar added.”

Search for certified organic and non-GMO products.

These products should be healthier than those without organic and non-GMO certifications. Keep in mind that if a product is USDA certified organic, it’s already free of GMOs.