This tool gathers detailed nutritional information on 850 products from 42 brands available in the main supermarkets in Spain. Its aim is to provide dietetics, nutrition, paediatrics and other health professionals with a reliable and updated source of information about the composition of these foods. This allows them to accurately assess nutrition during the first years of life and offer recommendations that promote a healthier and more sustainable diet. In addition, the results can serve as a basis for designing more effective food and regulatory policies.
According to Nancy Babio, researcher at the Human Nutrition Unit of the URV and coordinator of the project, “this database is a key step to provide health professionals with objective and evidence‑based information, in a context where the offer of commercial products for young children is growing quickly and does not always follow public health criteria”.
The results of the analysis, published in the scientific journal European Journal of Pediatrics, show worrying data. Besides confirming that only 20% of the products analysed meet all the nutritional profile and advertising criteria recommended by the WHO, it also warns that 60% of the food contains excessive amounts of sugar, and 99% of fruit purées would require a “high in sugar” warning label. In fact, none of the foods analysed should be advertised according to WHO guidelines.
The analysis also shows that 30% of the products include added sugars or sweeteners, such as honey or concentrated juices, and that none of the products meet all the WHO criteria for commercial promotion. Moreover, 98% display unauthorised claims or promotional messages.
“These results highlight the urgent need to improve regulation, both in the formulation and in the advertising of foods aimed at young children. At the moment, this is governed by a co‑regulation code (PAOS) that is not legally binding and has not worked as expected,” warns Roser Martí, president of CODINUCAT.
The Baby & Toddler Food Composition Database – InfantBase is a tool designed both for professional use and for political decision‑making.
This tool is part of the PRINUT project (Early Childhood: Nutritional Analysis and Regulation of Commercial Foods), which is aligned with public health strategies aimed at promoting healthy and safe eating during early childhood, following WHO recommendations and the PAAS (Comprehensive Plan for Health Promotion through Physical Activity and Healthy Eating) of the Government of Catalonia.
“As scientists and health professionals, we believe we have the responsibility to translate scientific evidence into effective policies that protect children’s health. We hope to receive institutional support to move forward in this direction,” concludes Babio.
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