Nestle adding sugar to poorer nations' baby foods, group claims
Newsy
An advocacy group alleges that Nestle is contributing to a growing number of children with obesity by adding sugar to products in poorer nations.
Nestle adds sugar to baby formulas and other foods for young children while keeping sugar content lower for the same products in wealthier nations, a new report from the Swiss-based advocacy group Public Eye claims.
In its report titled "How Nestle gets children hooked on sugar in lower-income countries," Public Eye tested several different products for their added sugar content. Public Eye expressed concerns that added sugar in these products was contributing to an increase in childhood obesity in these developing nations.
In one example cited, Public Eye compared the added sugar content in Cerelac, a cookie-flavored cereal intended for babies 6 months and older. While Cerelac had no added sugar in products marketed in the U.K. and Germany, Public Eye said products in Thailand had 6 grams of sugar per serving. Cerelac also had 5.2 grams per sugar per serving in Ethiopia, and 4 grams of sugar per serving in South Africa.
Similarly, the report noted that added sugar was significantly higher in Nido powdered milk sold in Panama and Nicaragua.
A Nestle spokesperson responded to Public Eye's claims.
