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

Publisher: MDPI Publishing Country of Publication: Switzerland NLM ID: 101521595 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2072-6643 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 20726643 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Nutrients Subsets: MEDLINE

Original Publication: Basel, Switzerland : MDPI Publishing

Breakfast* ; Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena* ; Food Analysis* ; Nutrition Policy* ; Nutritive Value*; Edible Grain/*chemistry ; Sugars/*analysis ; Yogurt/*analysis; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diet, Healthy ; Food Labeling ; Humans ; Latin America ; Marketing ; United Kingdom

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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Keywords: children; food labelling; food marketing; sugar; sugar reduction policy

0 (Sugars)

Date Created: 20200327 Date Completed: 20201228 Latest Revision: 20201228

20231215

PMC7146401

10.3390/nu12030856

32210128