Clinical and Educational Implications of Added Sugar in Commercial Complementary Foods for Infants in Spain: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12873/452marquesKeywords:
infantil nutrition, Food Labeling, pediatric healthAbstract
Background: The complementary feeding period (6–24 months) is critical for shaping lifelong dietary habits and preventing diet-related health conditions. Despite World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines discouraging added sugars for children under two years, commercial baby foods often contain significant levels of free sugars. These contribute not only to dental caries and metabolic disorders but also influence taste preferences and dietary behavior into adolescence. This study quantified the added sugar content in 100 commercially available complementary foods for infants in Spain and explored implications for clinical counseling and healthcare education.
Methods: Products were grouped into follow-on milks, fruit cereals, purées, snacks, and dairy products. Each product was evaluated for sugar content per 100 g/portion, types of added sugars, and ingredient list position.
Results: 61% of products contained added sugars, with sucrose (25%), maltodextrin (22%), and lactose (18%) being most prevalent. In 92.9% of cases, these sugars were among the first three ingredients. Dairy desserts and fruit purées had the highest sugar content per portion. Many products marketed for infants under six months contained sweeteners, contradicting international feeding recommendations.
Conclusion: These findings highlight widespread non-compliance with WHO guidelines and reveal a gap in parental and professional awareness regarding sugar content in infant foods. Integrating label literacy and nutrition education into pediatric training and patient education could empower clinicians to guide caregivers toward healthier feeding practices.
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