Study Finds Excessive Sugar-Based Calories in Baby Foods

More than half of baby and toddler foods at Canadian grocery stores have too many calories coming from sugar, a study reveals.

The report, published in The Journal of Public Health, said about 53% of the foods have more than 20% of calories coming from sugar, with some containing more than 80% of calories from sugar.

Nearly 40% of the 186 products examined listed sugar or some variant such as corn syrup, cane syrup, brown sugar or dextrose.

Around 19% of the food materials listed sugar in some form as either the first or second ingredient, researchers at the University of Calgary said.

The study showed 80% of the calories in Gerber Graduates for Toddlers Mini Fruit (Apple) and President’s Choice Toddlers’ 100% Real Fruit Snack (Banana Mango) were from sugar.