A Comparative Study of the Sodium Content and Calories from Sugar in Toddler Foods Sold in Low- and High-Income New York City Supermarkets

Abstract

Information from the nutrition facts labels of toddler foods marketed in low- and high-income New York City zip codes were analyzed for sodium content, the proportion of sugar-derived calories, and presence of sugar and/or high-fructose corn syrup as an added sweetener in the list of ingredients. Among the 272 toddler foods analyzed, more than a quarter were high in sodium, over one-third derived at least 20% their calories from sugar, and more than 41% of the foods had sugar and/or high-fructose corn syrup listed among the first five ingredients. The proportion of foods with such nutritional characteristics did not significantly differ between the low- and high-income neighborhood supermarkets. Median sodium content was highest among “side dishes” and “meals.” The proportion of calories derived from sugar was found to be highest among “snacks and yogurt blends” in both low- and high-income neighborhoods and “breakfast foods and cereals” in low-income neighborhoods. When compared to high-income neighborhoods, more than three times the proportion of total calories in “breakfast foods and cereals” sold in low-income neighborhoods were derived from sugar. Since taste preferences established during childhood can have long-lasting influence on dietary habits, it is imperative to limit the promotion of toddler foods that are high in sodium and sugar as well as educate parents to make nutritionally sound decisions at the point of purchase.

How Do Commercial Children’s Foods Influence Their Growth and Development? A Map of Commercially Available Children’s Foods in Honduras

“…tating child up to one year old) transits from exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) to share the family diet [1], and its initiation is recommended starting at six months, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) [2]. It is at this time that alimentary preferences begin to develop and will depend, among other factors, on the types of food that are offered; it is necessary to promote the adequate growth of the child and prevent the adoption of unhealthy eating habits [2], which will have immediate and long-term negative consequences on their growth and development [3].…”

“…The first two years of life represent the period of greatest importance to establish the foundations of healthy eating habits by ensuring the acceptance of foods rich in nutrients like fruits and vegetables [2] [3]. Flavors introduced at this stage will affect consumption, given that preferences developed in childhood persist into adulthood [1], and these will be a determinant factor for health.…”

“…As a result of globalization and technological progress, there has been a nutritional transition on an international level characterized by lower dietary fiber consumption and an increase in the intake of salt, fats and simple sugars from processed and ultra-processed food [1] [4] promoted to the population at large with highly aggressive marketing tactics. Some of these products are intended for infants under six months old, and as a result it is unsurprising to see very young children inclined to this type of food [5] [6] with clear consequences for their health; this is in spite of WHO recommendation that EBF continue until six months, when complementary feeding should be introduced [2].…”

“…As a result of the failure to comply with these recommendations, on a worldwide level there are four million children under five years old suffering from obesity [2], since new generations are growing up in obesogenic surroundings that promote greater energy consumption, mainly of ultra-processed products [4] [7]. Multiple studies have demonstrated that early childhood exposure to products with high sugar and sodium content is correlated with a preference towards this type of food in adulthood and diminishes the ability to self-regulate ingestion, favoring the development of chronic diseases [1] [2] [5] [8].…”

Measurement of dietary sodium intake in a group of children from one to 18 months of age in a pediatric service in Cali, Colombia

“…La transición en la alimentación es fundamental para establecer hábitos alimenticios saludables; la exposición temprana a alimentos con alto contenido de azúcar y sal se relaciona con su mayor consumo y aumenta el riesgo de enfermedades crónicas en la edad adulta, por lo cual las estrategias de intervención temprana contribuyen a reducir su incidencia (6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14).…”