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German study reveals high sugar, fat, and salt levels in children's foods

The food industry is making slow progress in reducing the high levels of sugar, fat, and salt in German food and beverage products marketed to children, according to the Max Rubner Institute (MRI).

The MRI’s latest product monitoring report also contributes to a growing body of evidence on the poor nutritional content of products marketed towards children.

The report, conducted for the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), examined 6,000 products. The researchers note slow progress in effective reduction efforts by the food industry to ensure healthier options for children, a challenge also seen in other countries around the world.

Children’s food unhealthier than products targeted to adults

The MRI analysis reveals that products explicitly designed for children often contain higher levels of sugar, fat, and salt compared to those marketed to adults. And despite targets to improve their nutritional profile, progress has been slow. Only 14% of soft drinks marketed to children corresponded to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) current nutritional profile model for marketing to children in 2022.

Similarly, breakfast cereals aimed at children have an average sugar content of 17 g per 100 g of product, significantly higher than the overall average for all breakfast cereals. Compared to the 2016 baseline survey, the average sugar content of children’s cereal products was reduced by 39%. However, the WHO's recommendation is to not exceed 12.5 g per 100 g – a target met by less than a quarter (23%) of examined products.

The study also found a significant increase in fat content and an increase in saturated fatty acid content in children’s breakfast cereal in 2022 compared to 2019.

The 2023 product monitoring report shows that the food industry's overall reduction efforts have also been insufficient. Many meat products, including sausages and other processed meats, as well as bread and small pastries, continue to have high levels of salt. This lack of progress is notable given the commitments made under Germany’s National Reduction and Innovation Strategy for Sugar, Fats, and Salt in Processed Products.

Global concerns about high-sugar children’s foods

Concerns about children’s foods are not unique to Germany. As previously reported in Ingredients Network, a 2022 study from the US Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) found that kids’ breakfast products in the US contain as much or more added sugars as some popular desserts.

Further highlighting this problem, a December 2023 UNICEF study revealed that 72% of snacks and finger foods marketed for children under three in Southeast Asia contain added sugars and sweeteners. This study, which assessed over 1,600 products across seven countries, found that nearly half included added sugars, and more than one-third had higher-than-recommended sodium levels. Additionally, almost 90% of product labels featured potentially misleading claims about their nutritional value.

Misleading claims and bright packaging

Misleading claims are another persistent and widespread concern that also affect the youngest demographics. Last year, Ingredients Network reported misleading nutrition claims on baby and toddler food and drink products. According to research by UK public health campaign group Action on Sugar, many products marketed as having ‘no added sugars’ or ‘only naturally occurring sugars’ actually contain added sugars from fruit juices, concentrates, and purees. For example, Ella’s Kitchen’s banana, apple & blueberry baby rice had the highest sugar per serving with 14.5 g, equivalent to four teaspoons of sugar per pouch.

Earlier this year, a report from Bite Back, an organisation led by UK celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, found that 78% of 262 sweet food products sold in the UK with child-appealing packaging were deemed unhealthy due to their fat, salt, or sugar content. The report claims that food companies use bright colours and cartoon characters to attract children to unhealthy snacks. This practice includes brands like Kinder Surprise, M&Ms, and Monster Munch Giants, which use appealing wrappers to mask high sugar and fat content.

The power of children’s marketing on food package was underlined in a study published in PLOS One last year. Researchers examined 5,850 child-relevant packaged foods in Canada and found that 13% displayed child-appealing marketing techniques.

Products with child-appealing packaging were significantly higher in total sugars (14.7 g per 100 g compared to 9 g per 100 g in the total sample) and contained almost twice the amount of free sugars (11.5 g vs 6.2 g per 100 g) compared to those without child-appealing packaging – all while having lower values for other nutrients. The study concluded that unhealthy products with powerful child-appealing marketing are prevalent in the food supply.

Stricter regulation

Several countries have recently introduced regulations aimed at improving the nutritional quality of foods marketed to children and reducing their exposure to unhealthy food marketing.

The US introduced new nutrition standards for school meals in April this year, set to be implemented gradually from 2025 to 2027. These standards include limits on added sugars in school meals, a reduction in sodium content, and a continued emphasis on whole grains.

Last year, Canada updated its policy to restrict the advertising of foods high in sodium, sugars, and saturated fat to children. This initiative aims to reduce children’s exposure to unhealthy food advertising across various media platforms, including television, social media, and online games. The regulation is part of Health Canada’s comprehensive Healthy Eating Strategy, which supports parents and caregivers in selecting and providing healthy meals and snacks for children.

The WHO has also taken significant steps in this area. In 2022, the WHO released new guidelines recommending that governments worldwide implement policies to monitor and restrict the marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children. These guidelines aim to protect children from the harmful effects of aggressive food marketing practices.