The healthfulness and prominence of sugar in child-targeted breakfast cereals in Canada

M, Potvin Kent; Cameron, Christopher; Philippe, Sarah

doi:10.24095/hpcdp.37.9.02

Cited by 22 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 25 publications

(19 reference statements)

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“…Overall, sodium was the added nutrient that most frequently exceeded the "low in" threshold, but in products displaying M2K, sugars were the most exceeded threshold. This is consistent with the literature showing that products displaying M2K are more likely to contain excessive levels of total and free sugars [24,25]. Importantly, the food categories that have the greatest proportions of products exceeding the sugars and saturated fat thresholds are categories that make up a large proportion of the total sample of products displaying M2K (e.g., bakery products, desserts, sugars and sweets, and beverages).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Evaluating the Canadian Packaged Food Supply Using Health Canada’s Proposed Nutrient Criteria for Restricting Food and Beverage Marketing to Children

Mulligan

Christoforou

Vergeer

et al. 2020

IJERPH

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Federally mandated restrictions on food and beverage marketing to kids (M2K) have been re-introduced as a national public health priority in Canada by the newly elected government, following the failure to implement a similar policy first proposed in 2016. This study examined the extent to which Canadian packaged foods, including products already displaying M2K on the packaging, would be permitted to be marketed, based on the nutrient criteria for marketing restrictions defined by Health Canada (in December 2018) as part of the previous policy proposal. Products from the University of Toronto Food Label Information Program 2013 database (n = 15,200) were evaluated using Health Canada’s published criteria: thresholds for sodium, sugars and saturated fats that products cannot exceed in order to be M2K. The proportion of products exceeding no thresholds (i.e., permitted to be M2K), the number of thresholds exceeded, and the proportion exceeding each individual threshold were calculated overall and in the subsample of products displaying M2K on the packaging (n = 747). Overall, 18.0% of products would be permitted to be M2K, versus 2.7% of products displaying M2K. Sodium was the most exceeded threshold overall (57.5% of products), whereas sugars was the most exceeded by products displaying M2K (80.1%). Only 4.7% of all products versus 10.4% of products displaying M2K exceeded all three thresholds. These results highlight the importance of reintroducing federal regulations restricting M2K in Canada and including marketing on product packaging in the regulatory scope.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Evaluating the Canadian Packaged Food Supply Using Health Canada’s Proposed Nutrient Criteria for Restricting Food and Beverage Marketing to Children

Mulligan

Christoforou

Vergeer

et al. 2020

IJERPH

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“…Similar findings are reported for REBCs in Guatemala [12], Mexico [8] and Ecuador [13]. However, there is a well-established body of evidence that consistently highlights concerns about the nutritional quality of REBCs and yoghurts marketed to children, in particular the high sugar content, while other nutrients of concern are fat, sodium, protein and fibre [9,[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]. In the UK, REBCs and yoghurts contribute to 15% and 16% of free sugar intake in children aged 1.5-10 years, respectively [11].…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Sugar Content and Nutritional Quality of Child Orientated Ready to Eat Cereals and Yoghurts in the UK and Latin America; Does Food Policy Matter?

et al. 2020

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Ready to eat breakfast cereals (REBCs) and yoghurts provide important nutrients to children’s diets, but concerns about their high sugar content exist. Food reformulation could contribute to sugar reduction, but policies across countries are not uniform. We aimed to compare the sugar content and nutritional quality of child-orientated REBCs and yoghurts in Latin American countries with the UK. In a cross-sectional study, nutritional information, marketing strategies, and claims were collected from the food labels and packaging of products available in Guatemala, Mexico, Ecuador and the UK. Nutritional quality was assessed using the UK Ofcom Nutrient Profiling System. In total, 262 products were analysed (59% REBCs/41% yoghurts). REBCs in the UK had a lower sugar content (mean ± SD) (24.6 ± 6.4) than products in Ecuador (34.6 ± 10.8; p < 0.001), Mexico (32.6 ± 7.6; p = 0.001) and Guatemala (31.5 ± 8.3; p = 0.001). Across countries, there were no differences in the sugar content of yoghurts. A large proportion (83%) of REBCs and 33% of yoghurts were classified as “less healthy”. In conclusion, the sugar content of REBCs in Latin America is higher than those of the UK, which could be attributed to the UK voluntary sugar reduction programme. Sugar reformulation policies are required in Guatemala, Mexico and Ecuador.

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“…In fact, it is possible that the intake of various micronutrients relevant from a public health point [ 30 ], which have a key role in the growth and healthy development of children, may be affected by skipping breakfast. In addition, some of the foods consumed by children at breakfast, such as dairy products, breakfast cereals, and fruits, are important sources of micronutrients for this age group [ 12 , 13 , 27 , 31 , 32 ], although the role of breakfast cereals is also controversial because of the high content of added sugars or even salt and low content in fiber [ 33 , 34 , 35 ]. Moreover, breakfast habits in childhood track into adulthood, so they should be monitored and improved [ 6 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Breakfast Habits of a Representative Sample of the Spanish Child and Adolescent Population (The ENALIA Study): Association with Diet Quality

et al. 2020

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The association between breakfast quality and total diet quality of children and adolescents ((1–17.9 years (n = 1570)) from the National Dietary Survey on the Child and Adolescent Population in Spain (ENALIA) was analyzed. Dietary information was collected using two non–consecutive one–day food diaries (1–10 years old) or two 24 h dietary recalls (>10 years). Breakfast quality index (BQI) and a variant of Nutrient Rich Foods index (NRF9.3) were calculated to assess the total diet quality. Children and adolescents who had breakfast on at least one day (n = 1561) were divided into two groups according to BQI: Worse Quality Breakfast (WQB) (BQI < 4 points (P66), n = 781) and Good Quality Breakfast (GQB) (BQI ≥ 4, n = 780). Younger children and those whose parents have university education presented higher BQI. GQB group had significantly higher intakes of micronutrients (vitamins A, D, C, B1, B2, B6, niacin, folate, calcium, potassium, magnesium). Fewer GQB children exceeded the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range for fat and had folate and calcium intakes below their estimated average requirement. Daily NRF9.3 was 496.2 ± 54.0, being higher in GQB (503.8 ± 50.6 vs. 488.6 ± 56.2, p < 0.001). Increasing the quality of breakfast increased the possibility of having a NRF9.3 higher than P50 (OR: 1.893, CI: 1.549–2.315, p < 0.0001). Breakfasts have room for quality improvement in a high percentage of children. A higher quality breakfast is associated with a benefit in the quality of the total diet.

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The healthfulness and prominence of sugar in child-targeted breakfast cereals in Canada

Abstract: Introduction: The objective of this study was to compare the nutritional content and healthfulness of child-targeted and "not child-targeted" breakfast cereals and to assess the predominance of added sugar in these products.

Cited by 22 publications

References 25 publications

Evaluating the Canadian Packaged Food Supply Using Health Canada’s Proposed Nutrient Criteria for Restricting Food and Beverage Marketing to Children

Evaluating the Canadian Packaged Food Supply Using Health Canada’s Proposed Nutrient Criteria for Restricting Food and Beverage Marketing to Children

Sugar Content and Nutritional Quality of Child Orientated Ready to Eat Cereals and Yoghurts in the UK and Latin America; Does Food Policy Matter?

Breakfast Habits of a Representative Sample of the Spanish Child and Adolescent Population (The ENALIA Study): Association with Diet Quality

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