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Healthy Heights product expansion highlights demand for nutritious kids’ food

US retail giant Walmart has expanded the Healthy Heights KidzProtein food range, highlighting growing global consumer demand for “nutritious, tasty, and scientifically-backed” food for children, it says.

The extension to the agreement will see Healthy Heights KidzProtein range of nutritional shakes available at 400 of Walmart’s stores across the United States as well as its online platform.

“Having Healthy Heights stocked in Walmart stores coincides with growing consumer demand for nutritional children’s products that are not only nutritious, but also tasty, scientifically backed and safe to use, says Steve Turner, president of Nutritional Growth Solutions, North America.

“It’s a trend we are seeing across both the US and in other global markets in which we operate.”

Latest figures appear to support this claim with Innova Database recording a 62% increase in front-of-pack ‘source of’ and ‘high in protein’ claims in baby milk and formula products from 2014 to 2019.

The market research firm points to an adult influence or preference that is driving baby food and snack innovation.

While early-stage infant nutrition concentrates on baby development, parents’ interests alter as the children grow older, adopting adult themes in the post-weaning process. This includes natural and unadulterated formulations, and products that carry organic, plant-based, protein, and fibre claims.

More protein for growing kids?

But while high-protein food products benefit adults in terms of muscle maintenance, weight management and increased satiety, are there any effects to increasing protein intake for growing children?

Latest research suggests a causal relationship between a high-protein intake in early childhood (up to 18 months) – particularly protein of animal origin – and higher body mass index (BMI) later in childhood.

However, this is countered by findings from another study that demonstrated a ‘high protein’ dietary pattern was positively associated with cognitive ability in children, aged 10 to 15 years. Additional investigations find for protein’s ability to help some children grow taller.

Protein adds a health halo

As one of the three main macronutrients, protein appears to wear the ‘health halo’ better than fats and carbohydrates, taking a central role in sports nutrition and protein-heavy diets favoured by athletes.

Whilst the ordinary consumer may not want to go to such extremes, the idea of adding a little more protein to their diet still remains appealing.

Given its role in children’s physical and mental development, the same could be said for its addition to children’s diets, especially if it includes a plant-based, clean-label, and/or organically sourced form of protein.

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Plant-based food for children drives growth

Rising demand for plant-based substitutes for children is driving revenue growth of the market, according to Linkage Research & Consulting.

The Chicago-based market research firm conducted over 10,000 consumer interviews in 2019 and found 60% of households with kids were buying plant-based foods. Around 80% of that group were feeding those vegan alternatives to their children.

Additionally, about a quarter of these millennial parents are introducing their kids to plant-based alternatives before their second birthday.

One reason could be the tendency for children to develop rashes, wheezing, and diarrhoea from soy and dairy-based proteins.

Parents have increasingly switched to plant-based organic foods, not only for their high protein content but also off the perception that these foods contain less allergens and are ‘clean label.’

Plant-based infant nutrition from US to India

Israeli-based Else Nutrition, does just this, producing a range of dairy and soy-free alternatives made from plants for babies, toddlers, and kids.

In May of this year, the firm announced it was well on its way to producing the first plant-based, soy-free infant formula, pending Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval.

Meanwhile, over in the APAC region, India-based Nutribud Foods, make available a protein drink mix for kids that is free of gluten, artificial flavours, added sugar, synthetic vitamins, and preservatives.

The blend is said to increase nutritional and water intake by mixing peanuts with cocoa to provide a chocolate flavour preferred by children.