Nearly 60% of baby food sold in popular US grocery stores is unhealthy, WHO study says

Number of obese and overweight children increasing worldwide, report finds

A UNICEF assessment on childhood nutrition found that the number of overweight children has increased on every continent.

Nearly 60% of commercially produced infant and toddler food products that are available to purchase from the top 10 grocery stores in the United States did not meet nutritional standards, according to a World Health Organization study.

Hundreds of products tested

Researchers tested 651 products between March and May of 2023 for their nutritional value and found that only 30% of the products met WHO standards.

Snack-size packaged foods had the lowest compliance with nutrition requirements, the study noted.

The baby food products were found in 10 grocery stores, including Walmart, Kroger, Costco, Ahold Delhaize, Publix, Sam’s Club, Target, Aldi, HEB and Safeway.

Food products that were in the "baby" aisle and "baby" tab on store websites were included in this study, which means any yogurts or baby food products located in the dairy, eggs and refrigerated sections were not included.

Products such as infant formulas, fortified milk and oral electrolytes were also excluded from the study as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates those separately.

A baby sleeps in a shopping cart in front of baby food on shelves at a grocery store. ( James Leynse/Corbis via Getty Images)

Misleading labels

In addition to nearly 60% of food products that were tested didn’t meet WHO’s nutritional standards, it was also noted that there were concerns related to the use of "health and nutrition content claims and wellness messaging on these products."

"Infant and toddler foods are often extensively promoted with health and nutrition claims that make it difficult for parents and carers to assess their healthiness accurately," the study said.

Use of words such as "healthy," "convenient," and "appropriate for child development" were often seen on some food products that did not meet WHO’s nutritional standards.

"These promotional claims are often used by manufacturers to distract consumers from a product’s poor nutritional profile," researchers said.

These terms are also often used on foods that contain ingredients that aren’t the most nutritious, such as sugar.

Why this matters

"Early childhood nutrition, particularly during the first 1000 days, is vital for healthy growth and development and for preventing overweight and obesity," the study said. "As early childhood is an important period for shaping healthy eating habits, frequent consumption of these products may lead to long-term unhealthy dietary patterns and increase the chronic disease risk into adulthood."

In 2023, new research showed evidence that severe obesity was becoming more common among young children in the U.S.

The increase echoes other national data, which suggested around 2.5% of all preschool-aged children were severely obese during the same period.

"We were doing well and now we see this upward trend," said one of the study’s authors, Heidi Blanck of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "We are dismayed at seeing these findings."

Researchers said the WHO’s recent findings should serve as a "wake-up call for policymakers."