Why is it in the News?

Nestlé’s products for babies in Asia, Africa, and Latin America were found to contain added sugars, while the same products sold in Europe did not have it, according to a recent report.

Highlights of the Report on Nestle:

• A report by the Swiss organization Public Eye titled 'How Nestlé gets children hooked on sugar in lower-income countries' scrutinized Nestlé for employing varying nutritional standards across its products depending on the country, with unclear sugar content labeling.
• The report highlighted Nestlé's Cerelac, the world's largest baby cereal brand, which contains significantly higher sugar levels in markets like India, Ethiopia, and Thailand compared to Germany and the UK.
• Despite sugar not being recommended for infants, Nestlé's baby food products with added sugars are allowed under some countries' national legislation, conflicting with WHO guidelines.
  • WHO recommends reducing daily free sugar intake to less than 10% of total energy intake, preferably less than 5% (around 25 grams per person per day), for better health.
• Nestlé India claims to have reduced added sugars by up to 30% in their infant cereals portfolio over the last five years, depending on the variant.

What are Added Sugars?

• Sugar is a simple carbohydrate.
• Some food items have sugar that is naturally occurring.
  • It is “found in milk (lactose) and fruit (fructose) or any product that contains milk (such as yogurt, milk, or cream) or fruit (fresh, dried) contains some natural sugars.
• Free sugar or added sugar is added separately to a food item during preparation or processing.
• It can “include natural sugars such as white sugar, brown sugar, and honey, as well as other caloric sweeteners that are chemically manufactured (such as high fructose corn syrup).

Why is Added Sugar Bad?

• Excessive consumption of added sugars poses several health risks.
• Limiting sugar intake is essential for maintaining a healthy diet and preventing various diseases.

The following are some reasons why added sugars can be harmful:

• Poor Nutritional Balance: Consuming too much-added sugar can lead to increased overall energy intake, often replacing nutritionally adequate calories from healthier food sources.
  • This results in an unbalanced diet lacking essential nutrients, increasing the risk of malnutrition and other health problems.
• Increased Risk of Non-Communicable Diseases: Excessive sugar consumption is associated with a higher risk of developing non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular ailments.
  • These diseases can have severe long-term consequences on overall health and well-being.
• Unnecessary for Infants and Children: Adding sugar to foods offered to babies and young children is unnecessary and can be highly addictive, establishing unhealthy eating habits that continue into adulthood.
  • Early exposure to sugar is also associated with tooth decay and can contribute to nutrition-based disorders later in life.