Children's foods often way too sweet and greasy

Foodwatch Market Check: Manufacturers mislead children into junk food

13.03.2012

Much of the food for children is too sugary and fatty. The special children's foods by no means meet the requirements for a balanced diet, according to the result of a market check by the consumer organization Foodwatch. More than 1,500 products have been scrutinized by the experts and found that „the offer of special children's food nutritionally exactly the opposite of it“ corresponds to, „What nutrition experts recommend for a balanced diet of children.“

According to Foodwatch, manufacturers are not fulfilling their responsibilities to contribute to the balanced nutrition of children, but are promoting them „malnutrition“. According to the results of the market check, the products specially made for children are almost all too greasy, too sweet or contain too many artificial flavors. Also, the children would be lured with elaborate advertising campaigns to them so „program (as early as possible) on unhealthy junk food“, said Anne Markwardt of the consumer organization Foodwatch. According to the expert, there is also this „one logical reason: You can not make much profit from fruits and vegetables - more with junk food and soft drinks.“

Over 1,500 children's foods examined
In the current market check, Foodwatch has 1,514 products that explicitly address children in their presentation, such as by using comic motifs, corresponding additions of cartoon characters or toys, the offer of online games or assistance for school lectures, examined. From April 2011 to January 2012, consumer advocates looked at children's foods, noting that although several manufacturers claimed to be contributing to the balanced nutrition of children, de facto the opposite was the case. Based on the recommendations of the „aid info service nutrition service, agriculture, consumer protection e.V.“ For a balanced diet, the products tested do not meet the requirements, reports Foodwatch. The aid model breaks down the food into a classic food pyramid of three levels, with oils, fats, „sweet and greasy snacks“ the „redden“ Category attributed to the top of the pyramids. You should, according to aid info service only „economical“ be consumed. The „yellow“ In the middle of the pyramid are dairy products and meat, in the one „excessive“ Consumption is provided. „plentiful“ Meanwhile, foods from the „green“ Basic category of food pyramid, such as fruits, vegetables, cereal products, water and unsweetened tea.

Much of the children's food is unsuitable for a healthy diet
According to the Foodwatch market check, nearly three quarters of the 1,514 children's products tested (1,109 items, 73.3 percent) fall within the scope of the aid info service „Red“ Category. Actually, children should not consume more than a handful of the right foods a day, but the reality is often very different. Only six percent (92 articles) of the products studied fell into the category, according to Foodwatch „yellow“, These were primarily sugared dairy products and only 12.4 percent (188 articles) of children's foods were „green“ Attributed to category. These were mainly processed fruit foods such as applesauce or dried fruit, but also pasta, tomato sauce, fruit juices and fruit juice spritzers. Taking into account the products that could be classified between two categories, 79 percent of all foods examined were at least partially in the category „red“ must be assigned, explained Foodwatch. According to the consumer protection organization, it is accordingly „virtually impossible to put together a balanced diet from the offer that markets the industry as children's products.“ Here are the organic products are no real exception, because 58 percent of all organic items tested, according to Foodwatch also in the „Red“ Category and only 29 percent were „green“ Assign area.

Food industry turns child nutrition upside down
Overall, the food industry is the „Child nutrition on the head“ and offer in surplus products, from which actually only small quantities should be consumed, would be children's food, which according to aid criteria for a „copious“ Consumption are suitable, remain in short supply. Foodwatch criticized that „manufacturers do not fulfill their responsibility to contribute to a balanced diet.“ Instead, would „their offer to children of rampant malnutrition advance“ afford, so the charge of the consumer protection. The companies had a significant interest in business reasons to sell as many imbalanced products, the experts complained. Because the „Fruit and vegetable profit margins were below five percent, while confectionery, soft drinks and snacks generated sales margins of 15 percent or more“, declared Foodwatch. The advertising strategies of food manufacturers are a particular thorn in the side of consumer advocates. Here too, the state is responsible, for example, to prevent advertising in schools and kindergartens in any case.

Criticizing advertising campaigns to market unhealthy snacks
Ultimately, however, it requires a rethinking of the companies. If, for business reasons, they do not want to forego the sale of junk food and unhealthy snacks, advertising strategies should be a little more cautious. Because in this case, the children are provided with nutritional fundamentals that in the long run can also develop into a social problem. For example, obesity is already relatively widespread in Germany today, and adolescents are also increasingly affected. This is associated with numerous health hazards, such as an increased risk of diabetes, an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and vascular disease or increased musculoskeletal disorders (back pain, hip osteoarthritis). There is considerable interest in the entire society in minimizing the occurrence of such diseases through a healthy diet. Therefore, according to the Consumer Protection Organization, food manufacturers are called upon to contribute to a balanced diet of the population. (Fp)

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Image: Vera Deunert