Parents and carers across England will be able to shop for healthier food for their children with new guidelines for commercial baby food to reduce salt and sugar, along with clearer labelling to help parents make informed decisions.
Baby food manufacturers will be given 18 months to reduce sugar and salt levels in baby foods aimed at children up to 36 months old.
Businesses will be challenged to change the recipes for their products to reduce levels of salt and sugar, without the use of sweeteners, as these are not permitted for use in commercial baby food. And clearer labelling guidelines will be introduced to help parents understand more easily what food they are buying for their children.
Obesity costs the NHS £11.4 billion a year and is one of the root causes of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, and obesity rates have doubled since the 1990s, including among children. High sugar intake in children’s diets is a significant factor contributing to high rates of childhood obesity in the UK, which is among the highest in Western Europe
The guidelines will also tackle misleading labelling that often conflicts with official feeding advice.
For example, some products labelled as snacks for babies from seven months onwards directly contradict government recommendations that children aged 6-12 months do not need snacks between meals, only milk.
Manufacturers will also be told to cease using misleading marketing claims that make products appear healthier than they are - for example, products with labels such as “contains no nasties” – when products may be high in sugar.
The move comes as data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey published in June shows that more than two-thirds of children aged 18 months to 3 years are eating too much sugar, while over a fifth of children aged 4 to 5 years are overweight or living with obesity in England.
This excessive sugar intake increases the risk of weight gain and dental decay in the crucial early years of development.
“Every child deserves a healthy, happy start to life. But babies’ development is being harmed by poor diets and unhealthy food, holding them back and piling up pressure on the NHS,” said Public Health Minister Ashley Dalton.
“Too often, parents are bombarded with confusing labels, disguising unhealthy foods packed with hidden sugars and salt. Our Plan for Change will tackle this, giving parents the information they need and providing children with good, nutritious food.”
“I’m determined to make it far easier for parents to keep their children healthy. From working with influencers to get children exercising, to banning junk food ads near schools – our 10 Year Health Plan will help kids today be part of the healthiest generation of children ever,” Dalton said.
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