by Youth nutrition is in the spotlight, and negative stories in the media often outweigh the positive. For example, earlier this year another Nestlé baby formula scandal came to light, and concerns about the ultra-processing of baby foods continue to grow. However, the focus is now shifting towards the nutritional content of baby foods, which critics claim is sorely lacking.
“Malnutrition is a universal issue that hinders development and has dire consequences for all nations. It has a devastating effect on children – it dampens intelligence, reduces productivity and perpetuates poverty,” said a UNICEF spokesperson. “UNICEF and the European Union are determined to increase and sustain our efforts to reach more children.”
However, UNICEF also notes that child nutrition is still low on most European national agendas and under-resourced.
A report published by The Food Foundation in the UK revealed a significant decline in children’s health, saying “children in England are now shorter and more likely to have obesity and type 2 diabetes.” This has led to campaigners including celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, a politician. Gordon Brown and Public Health Professor Michael Marmot are joining the Food Foundation to call on Britain’s new Labor government to urgently address the decline in children’s health.
So why is the health of Europe’s children so poor? And is there a lack of nutrition in baby foods?
Are baby foods lacking in nutrition?
Although many consumers may be quick to blame manufacturers for the lack of nutrients, the industry strongly rejects such claims.
“Children’s food is highly regulated to ensure its safety and quality,” Tim Collins, managing director of children’s food brand, Ella’s Kitchen, told FoodNavigator. “The safety of the little ones is our top priority, and we take our responsibilities seriously, setting strict nutritional guidelines that go beyond industry requirements. We only introduce the first new food products that contain 10% less sugar than our average range and have reformulated products to reduce saturated fat and sugar.”
But do consumers believe the claims of food manufacturers? It seems not.
A recent report from the EIT’s Food Consumer Observatory found that less than half (46%) of consumers surveyed said they trusted food manufacturers, with 27% actively trusting them . This distrust permeates all aspects of food manufacturing, including health claims, and 44% believe that the foods they eat are healthy. As a result, consumers are less likely to believe health and nutrition claims on food packaging, and this extends to foods made specifically for children.
This lack of confidence is a cause for concern for baby food manufacturers.
“Our concern is that if parents are pushed out of the child’s aisle, the little ones will eat snacks that are not age appropriate, that are not as tightly controlled, and that have a lot more fat, salt and sugar in them. Baby products must continue to provide a healthier alternative,” says Collins.
There is also the issue of a child’s ability to eat foods that are not specifically designed for their age, particularly in terms of firmness and texture.
“We did research that found 53% of parents were unaware of the importance of building texture,” Mandy Bobrowski, director of marketing at Organix, told FoodNavigator.
So how can food manufacturers encourage parents and carers to continue buying foods designed for children?
Encouraging parents to buy formulated foods for their children
The best way to encourage them to buy is to address the main concerns of parents and caregivers, experts agree. In this case, it would help to promote health verification claims and emphasize the regulations placed on the industry.
“The industry needs to focus on developing tasty products, which provide value for money and deliver good health outcomes,” says Collins of Ella’s Kitchen.
Why are children in Europe malnourished?
As a result of the understanding that foods specifically formulated for children are not the cause of a decrease in the nutrition of young people, it is concluded that children are not getting the right nutrients from the other foods they are eating as part of their diet. diet. In addition, many children do not eat any foods formulated specifically for children, which makes the consumption of essential nutrients in the form of fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, etc., even more important.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), only 78.8% of children eat breakfast, which is often considered the most important meal of the day. In addition, only 42.5% eat fresh fruit every day and 22.6% eat fresh vegetables.
“Action is urgently needed to promote healthy eating habits among children in all countries of the European Region, especially to increase the daily consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables,” said a spokesperson for the WHO.
What can be done to boost youth nutrition?
In response to declining youth nutrition levels, the WHO has set out an action plan for countries across Europe and the world.
- Regulating the marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks to children.
- Apply labeling rules recommended by the WHO for nutrition producers.
- Encourage foods high in sugar, fat and salt.
- Introduce fiscal incentives such as a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages.
- Facilitating access to healthy and nutritious food in schools, other public institutions – by implementing healthy public food provision and service policies – and in underserved communities.
- Support monitoring initiatives on children’s eating habits, anthropometric measurements and food environments to monitor policy impacts.
