As much as 60% of baby foods on the market may not meet the nutritional standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO), a new study found.

The findings were published in the journal Nutrients last week.

Researchers at The George Institute for Global Health — an independent medical research institute headquartered in Australia — reviewed 651 infant and toddler food products sold in the top 10 U.S. grocery chains, according to a press release.

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Seventy percent of the products did not include adequate amounts of protein, 25% did not meet calorie requirements, and 20% had sodium levels that exceeded WHO’s recommendations.

The researchers compared the foods’ data to WHO’s nutrient and promotion profile model (NPPM), which supports “appropriate promotion of food products” for infants and young children in Europe.

Baby food “pouches” were ranked as some of the least healthy choices, with fewer than 7% meeting total sugar recommendations, the institute noted.

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Infant formulas were not included in the study, as those are regulated separately by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the researchers noted.

“Only products available in the baby food section of the grocery store were included. This meant [that] yogurts located in the fridge section, drinks section, or under the ‘dairy, eggs and fridge’ tab online were not included,” they wrote.

Convenience foods labeled as culprits

Dr. Elizabeth Dunford, research fellow at The George Institute and adjunct assistant professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina, expressed concern about the prevalence of “processed convenience foods” for babies and toddlers.

Baby food pouches were ranked the unhealthiest of the reviewed options. (iStock)

“Early childhood is a crucial period of rapid growth, and when taste preferences and dietary habits form, potentially paving the way for the development of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and some cancers later in life,” Dunford said in the release. 

“Time-poor parents are increasingly choosing convenience foods, unaware that many of these products lack key nutrients needed for their child’s development and tricked into believing they are healthier than they really are.”

A ‘health halo’

The study also highlighted “misleading marketing practices,” claiming that more than 99% of baby food products contained at least one “prohibited claim” on the packaging. 

“We found that all but four products featured at least one prohibited claim on the pack, with an average of four prohibited claims per pack,” Dr. Daisy Coyle, research fellow and dietitian at The George Institute, told Fox News Digital.

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“These claims often give products a ‘health halo,’ deceiving busy parents into thinking they are a lot healthier than they are.”

Some of the most-cited misleading verbiage included “non-genetically modified (GM),” “organic,” “no BPA” and “no artificial colors/flavors.”

“These numbers are truly alarming when you consider we’re talking about food for infants and toddlers,” a nutritionist told Fox News Digital.  (iStock)

“We saw this not only in the use of misleading claims, but also in the use of misleading names, where the product name did not reflect the main ingredients found on the ingredient list.”

Some products claimed to be “fruits” or “vegetables” even though those were not the primary ingredients, for example.

Among U.S. children 2 to 5 years old, the prevalence of obesity was 12.7% from 2017 to March 2020.

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“Our findings highlight the urgent need for better regulation and guidance in the infant and toddler foods market in the United States — the health of future generations depends on it,” added Dunford.

Among U.S. children 2 to 5 years old, the prevalence of obesity was 12.7% from 2017 to March 2020, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Based on the study findings, the researchers advised parents and caregivers to pay close attention to the claims made on baby food packaging. (iStock)

Based on the study findings, the researchers advised parents and caregivers to pay close attention to the claims made on baby food packaging.

“The ingredients list and nutrition label provide a far more accurate representation of what is in the product,” Coyle said. “One important thing to look out for is the amount of added sugar.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the American Academy of Pediatrics, major baby food manufacturers and WHO requesting comment.

‘Critical issue’

Katie Thomson, an Oregon-based registered dietitian and founder of the Square Baby nutrition system, was not involved in the study but said it sheds light on a “critical issue.”

“These numbers are truly alarming when you consider we’re talking about food for infants and toddlers,” she told Fox News Digital. 

“Time-poor parents are increasingly choosing convenience foods, unaware that many of these products lack key nutrients needed for their child’s development,” a nutritionist warned. (iStock)

“The core issue is that many of these products, especially pouches, are far too sweet to offer proper, balanced nutrition. This not only fails to meet nutritional needs, but also hinders the development of a child’s palate.”

“We’re essentially setting them up for a lifetime of poor eating habits.”

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As a mother, Thomson said, she understands the appeal of convenient, self-feeding options like pouches — but warned that this approach is “ultimately detrimental to children’s long-term health and eating habits.”

Lack of protein is the most glaring issue, according to Thomson — “it’s fundamental for everything from muscle development to immune function in growing bodies.”

“Many of these foods are also lacking in healthy fats, which are essential for brain development, and important micronutrients like calcium, iron and vitamin D,” she said. 

“There’s also a noticeable absence of those nutrient-dense green and earthy vegetables.”

The researchers reviewed 651 infant and toddler food products sold in the top 10 U.S. grocery chains. (iStock)

Another often overlooked aspect, Thomson noted, is failure to include common allergens. 

“Early introduction of allergens, like peanuts, eggs and dairy, can actually help prevent food allergies from developing,” she said. 

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“However, many baby food products fail to include these important components, which can create a whole host of health issues later in life.”

When choosing nutrition for babies, Thomson recommends offering a diverse range of foods, flavors, textures and colors, with a balance of fat, fiber and protein, while keeping sugar content low. 

Infant formulas were not included in the study, as those are regulated separately by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the researchers noted. (iStock)

She recommends the following breakdown for a 4-ounce balanced meal.

• Less than 6 grams of sugar
• 2-4 grams of fat
• 2-4 grams of fiber
• 2-5 grams of protein

Potential limitations

The George Institute for Global Health, which has received previous funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the National Health and Medical Research Council, and other investors, stated that it received no external funding for this specific study.

The study did have some limitations, the researchers acknowledged.

“Although we analyzed data from a large representative dataset, we were unable to link to sales data for each product,” Coyle told Fox News Digital. 

“More research is needed to know whether American families are more likely to purchase products that fail to meet WHO requirements,” the researchers said. (iStock)

“More research is needed to know whether American families are more likely to purchase products that fail to meet WHO requirements.”

Another limitation was that the WHO NPPM was developed for the European region.

So it is “not necessarily 100% applicable to the U.S. infant and toddler foods market,” the researchers stated in the findings. 

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Parents and carers are not to blame, the researchers emphasized.

Coyle of The George Institute told Fox News Digital that “government regulation” is needed “to transform this sector to ensure infant and toddler foods are healthy and marketed appropriately.”

She added, “The health of our youngest generation and future generations depends on it.”

Your home address could determine the likelihood of getting a dementia diagnosis, a new study suggests.

Researchers from University of Michigan Medical School analyzed Medicare claims for nearly five million older adults in regional health care markets across the country — focusing on the areas that had higher rates of diagnoses of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

They found that in areas with a higher rate of diagnosis — known as “diagnosis intensity” — residents were twice as likely to find out they had the condition, especially among those ages 66 to 74, along with Black and Hispanic subgroups.

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“The number of people who obtain a formal diagnosis is different across regions,” lead study author Dr. Julie Bynum, a researcher and professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at University of Michigan Medical School, told Fox News Digital.

“Those differences are related to how many people actually have dementia, which is driven by risk factors like age, race and cardiovascular risks — but we cannot explain all the differences in the percentage of people who get diagnosed on these population characteristics.” 

Certain health system factors may come into play, Bynum said – such as the accessibility of health care and the availability of clinicians who have experience in diagnosing and caring for people with dementia. 

Some of the health care markets with the highest dementia diagnosis rates include Texas (McAllen, Wichita Falls, Harlingen); Miami, Florida; Lake Charles, Louisiana; Alabama (Tuscaloosa and Montgomery); Michigan (Detroit, Dearborn, Royal Oak); Oxford, Mississippi; and New York (Bronx, Manhattan).

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Bynum wasn’t entirely surprised by the findings, she said.

She expected to find differences in the rate of formal diagnosis, she said, based on how practices and individual doctors typically respond to patients with cognitive concerns. 

The accessibility of health care and the availability of clinicians who have experience with diagnosing and caring for people with dementia could impact the diagnosis rates, the new study found. (iStock)

“What was less expected is that the location of high and low diagnosis intensity areas does not follow a pattern of where there is a higher burden of disease in the population,” she said. 

“I had expected that in places where dementia was a bigger problem, we might see a greater effort to get those people into care.”

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Lycia Neumann, PhD, senior director of health services research at the Alzheimer’s Association, was not involved in the study but commented on how it highlights regional disparities in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

“This suggests that unless there is intentional effort from health systems, payers and governments to promote equitable access to diagnosis, these disparity gaps will continue growing,” she told Fox News Digital.

Overcoming barriers to diagnosis

Based on the findings, people who are concerned about cognitive decline among their family members may need to “put in some extra effort” in communicating their concerns with their primary doctors, Bynum said. 

“One of the problems is that the concern can get lost among all the other things older adults and their doctors address, and sorting out cognitive complaints is challenging for doctors,” she told Fox News Digital. 

People who are concerned about cognitive decline in regard to their family members may need to “put in some extra effort” in communicating their concerns with their primary doctors, a researcher said. (iStock)

“In addition, we should all be encouraging our local health systems to develop the capacity to address the needs of this burgeoning population through clinical and supportive programming.”

Neumann said younger individuals and those from “historically underrepresented ethnic and racialized groups” have a greater risk of being underdiagnosed. 

“We know that barriers to an early and precise dementia diagnosis exist at all levels,” she said.

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“They go from stigma and lack of awareness of signs and symptoms to barriers to health care access related to health insurance coverage, distance to clinical settings, and lack of transportation and companionship.”

It is Neumann’s hope, she said, that studies like this one spark efforts to raise awareness of early warning signs and encourage individuals to discuss any concerns with their health care providers.

“Barriers to an early and precise dementia diagnosis exist at all levels.”

Educational programs and interventions can also facilitate access to timely dementia diagnoses, she added. 

“After all, an accurate diagnosis is the first step to appropriate treatment and care.”

Potential limitations

One of the study’s limitations is that the researchers were not able to determine whether the rate of diagnosis is “too high or too low” based only on their data, Bynum noted.

“We can only say that it is higher or lower than the national average rate,” she said.  

“We would need to know the actual number of people living with dementia in each community, which would be incredibly costly to measure.”

This approach, however, can help researchers understand whether getting a formal diagnosis is more or less difficult across geographical areas, according to Bynum.

“We should all be encouraging our local health systems to develop the capacity to address the needs of this burgeoning population through clinical and supportive programming,” a dementia expert said. (iStock)

“There are always limitations regarding studies based on claims data,” Neumann noted. 

“Claims data are only about individuals who received care, in this case a diagnosis — so it excludes people who might be living with the disease but haven’t been able to access the health care system or haven’t received an accurate diagnosis.”

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Additionally, the information collected in medical claims is for payment and reimbursement purposes, not for research — so it doesn’t allow for the understanding of the factors that might be driving the disparities, she added. 

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The study population is also only composed of older adults enrolled in Medicare fee-for-service, or traditional Medicare, Neumann noted.

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