Kids food—is it good or bad?

Nine out of 10 regular food items aimed specifically at children have a poor nutritional content—because of high levels of sugar, fat or sodium—according to a detailed study of 367 products led by Charlene Elliott, professor in the U of C’s Faculty of Communication and Culture, and published in the July issue of the UK-based journal Obesity Reviews.

Just under 70 percent of the products studied—which specifically excluded confectionery, soft drinks and bakery items—derived a high proportion of calories from sugar. Approximately one in five (23 percent) had high fat levels and 17 percent had high sodium levels. Despite this, 62 percent of the foods with poor nutritional quality made positive claims about their nutritional value on the front of the packaging.

“Children’s foods can now be found in virtually every section of the supermarket and are available for every eating experience,” says Elliott who is also a Trustee of the Canadian Council of Food and Nutrition and whose research was funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research.

“Parents may have questions about which packaged foods are good for their children. Yet, certain nutritional claims may add to the confusion, as they can mislead people into thinking the whole product is nutritious.”
Only 11 percent of the products Elliott and her colleagues evaluated provided good nutritional value in line with the criteria laid down by the US-based Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a non-profit agency that received the Food and Drug Administration’s highest honour in 2007.

The CSPI Nutritional standards state that healthy food should not derive more than 35 percent of its calories from fat (excluding nuts and seed and nut butters) and should have no more than 35 percent added sugar by weight. They also provide guidance on sodium levels, ranging from 230 mg per portion for snacks through to 770 mg per portion for pre-prepared meals.

The 367 products included in the study were bought from a national supermarket chain stocking 50,000 food and non-food items in December 2005. Each had to meet very specific criteria.

“We included food products and packaging that were presented in such a way that children were the clear target audience” explains Elliott, “They included products that promoted fun and play, had a cartoon image on the front on the box or were linked to children’s films, TV programs and merchandise.”