British researchers have found that toddlers in the United Kingdom eat a lot of "ultra-processed foods" (UPFs). UPFs are foods that have been changed a lot from their natural state, like packaged snacks, breakfast cereals, and sugary drinks.
Here are some key takeaways from a new study:
Almost half of toddlers' calories come from UPFs. This means they are eating a lot of food that may not be very healthy.
By age seven, kids are eating even more UPFs. This shows that eating habits might be getting worse as kids get older.
Some common UPFs for toddlers are whole grain cereals and flavored yogurts. Even though these foods might seem healthy, they can still be highly processed.
The study might not be a good representation of all toddlers. The toddlers in the study were mostly white and from wealthier families, so the results might not be the same for all toddlers.
The researchers are worried that eating too many UPFs might be bad for toddlers' health. They suggest that parents try to feed their toddlers more natural and unprocessed foods, like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
UPFs are typically industrially produced and contain ingredients not used or very rarely used in home cooking, such as emulsifiers, colourings and sweeteners.
Too much sugar
"Some wholegrain cereals and flavoured yoghurts have high levels of added sugar and salt and our study found that toddlers who consumed more ultra-processed foods also had a higher intake of these ingredients," said Dr. Rana Conway, of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care.
"Despite labels suggesting they're a healthy choice, ultra-processed foods marketed for children often contain too much sugar and salt. This makes it harder for parents to make healthy choices," Conway said.
The study was published in the European Journal of Nutrition.