Concerns Emerge Over Added Sugars in Asian Baby Food

Jennylyn M Barrios, a make-up artist whose work frequently takes her across Manila, finds herself with limited time for her 10-month-old son, Uno. She struggles to prepare the homemade meals her developing baby requires. However, the fast-evolving Philippines is presenting more choices for working mothers such as herself. She elaborated, stating, “If I need to make something from scratch, I need to work double time before I finish the product.” In contrast, she noted, “But for Cerelac, I just need to add hot water and prepare the mix. I feed it three times a day – for breakfast, lunch, and then for dinner. It’s easy to feed, available, affordable – all great for working mums.” Jennylyn exemplifies a growing number of mothers who have increasingly adopted commercially produced baby food items in recent years. Sales of instant cereals, porridges, pureed foods, pouches, and snacks throughout South East Asia have seen a twofold increase over the past five years. Cerelac, an instant porridge mix, stands as Nestle’s top-selling product in this region, providing both convenience and a sense of aspiration at an accessible price point, which is a crucial factor given the increasing cost of living. A brief examination of social media platforms reveals numerous mothers, alongside their smiling babies, praising the product’s advantages, such as its provision of vital nutrients for developing children. While parents globally would immediately recognize the product, its ingredients in this specific region might differ. This is because, in addition to the added micronutrients Cerelac provides to parents in the Philippines and the UK, certain flavors available in the South East Asian country also contain added sugar. This situation, occurring in a nation where parents are progressively moving away from traditional diets towards convenience foods, has raised concerns among health professionals. Nestle in the Philippines asserts its adherence to the standards and guidelines set by the Codex Commission, a body formed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), comprising food manufacturers, governments, and UN agencies. Arlene Tan-Bantoto, Nestlé Nutrition business executive officer, stated, “The added sugar we have in our products are all well below the threshold prescribed by international and local guidelines who always follow the FDA, who follows Codex, and these are the experts in this field.” However, the WHO has deemed the existing standards insufficient, advocating for their revision with a specific emphasis on eliminating sugar and salt from all food intended for children under three years old. Despite this, a Unicef study examining 1,600 baby food products throughout South East Asia revealed that almost half contained added sugars and sweeteners. Ms Tan-Bantoto offered a straightforward rationale for the necessity of added sugar specifically in Cerelac: to mask the taste of vital nutrients such as iron, which possesses a metallic flavor, and the brain nutrient DHA, which has a fish-like odor. Ms Tan-Bantoto stated, “Micronutrient deficiency is widespread in the country and we are serious in our efforts in alleviating it.” She continued, “Ninety-seven percent of babies do not meet their daily nutrient requirement, 40% of babies, zero to five, suffer from iron deficiency anaemia. And we know that to be anaemic has lifelong consequences. For instance, brain development and next poor immunity and 20% of kids zero to five are stunted. That means we fortify our products.” A clinic in Manila regularly observes the direct effects of malnutrition on infants and toddlers; however, the manifestation of these cases is evolving as dietary habits change. One doctor informed the BBC, “Sometimes they are underweight, some are overweight, and some are severely malnourished.” Pinpointing the precise reasons for the increase in overweight children is not feasible. Numerous elements contribute to the rise in obesity, such as shifts in lifestyles and urbanization. Nevertheless, nutritionists indicate that taste preferences are established early in life, and in certain nations, including the Philippines, many sweet-tasting foods are introduced at a young age. This is why the presence of added sugar in products like Cerelac is a significant concern, as highlighted by public health experts such as Dr. Mianne Silvestre. The most favored Cerelac flavor in the Philippines contains approximately 17.5g of total sugars per serving, which amounts to over four teaspoons of sugar; this figure encompasses both naturally occurring and added sugars. Nestle states that in the Philippines, it provides several varieties or flavors both with and without added sugar. Dr. Silvestre explained, “We always mention that malnutrition isn’t just being undernourished, it’s also overnourished also overweight and obese children, and very difficult to diet.” She added, “Starting these babies so young on this level of sugar. It’s mind-boggling.” Alice Nkoroi, Unicef nutrition officer for the Philippines, indicated that the absence of local government regulation also places parents at a clear disadvantage. She highlighted, “If you go to other countries in Europe… they will have regulations that control what is sold out there and also make sure that companies put out what is they’re clear on what is in the content and at the front of the pack, it’s easy for the families and consumers to understand what is good for them and what is unhealthy.” She further added that regulation is required not only for the product’s contents or its packaging. Ms Nkoroi stated, “We conducted a digital scan… and what we saw is that families are bombarded 99% on what is on social media.” She concluded, “There’s a need for us to regulate what is coming out or being pushed out there in social media, especially targeted to children.” Chiara Maganalles, known as Mommy Diaries PH on social media, commands a following of 1.6 million on Facebook. Through an engaging YouTube video featured on Nestle’s “Parenteam” educational platform, she informs tens of thousands of subscribers about Cerelac’s advantages. She has been endorsing the product for several years, perceiving it as a mutually beneficial arrangement. She stated, “I mean with my first kid… I did feed her Cerelac first because it’s convenient… It suits our budget… because of the nutritional content as well, it says that it’s fortified with iron.” However, critics argue that paid partnerships can be perceived as credible expert advice, unlike traditional advertising. Furthermore, Chiara’s recommendation of feeding Cerelac multiple times daily conflicts with information Nestle provided to the BBC. Ms Tan-Bantoto characterized it as a “complementary” food for a baby’s diet, emphasizing that it should not be consumed “the whole day.” “At least give one bowl,” she advised, citing its nutritional value. Nestle states its recommendation is one serving of infant cereal daily, alongside a varied diet including foods such as fruits, vegetables, and meat. The company asserts that this information is present on its product labels, yet promotional content on e-commerce platforms and its educational site proposes meal plans incorporating Cerelac products up to three times per day. The call for regulation in the Philippines is gaining notable support. Senator Imee Marcos, who is the sister of the current president and daughter of former president Ferdinand Marcos Snr, is championing a bill aimed at preventing baby food manufacturers from incorporating sugar into their products. Non-compliance with this proposed legislation could result in substantial fines and the imprisonment of producers and manufacturers for a period ranging from one to five years. Senator Imee Marcos informed the BBC, “I’m very hopeful that it will see the light of day. There’s so many bills and the food lobbies, the huge multinationals that purvey all these foods are immensely powerful and until today I haven’t even had a hearing.” Nestle, for its part, states it is addressing concerns and is in the process of gradually removing added sugar from its baby food products. However, it notes that achieving a balance between the product’