Researchers warn many products marketed for young children contain excessive sugar, sodium, and unhealthy fats

A new study has found that four out of every five foods marketed for toddlers in the United States are ultraprocessed, raising fresh concerns about the nutritional quality of products aimed at young children.

The research, which analyzed more than 2,700 toddler food products sold in U.S. grocery stores, found that over 80% of the items were ultraprocessed, while nearly half failed to meet at least one nutritional benchmark established by the World Health Organization (WHO) for children between 6 and 36 months of age.

The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, where researchers highlighted the growing challenge parents face when trying to identify healthy food options for toddlers.

Lead author Erin Hudson, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, said the study was designed to understand what parents encounter when shopping for young children’s food.

“We wanted to know what parents were seeing when they went to the grocery store,” Hudson said.

“The answer is over 80% of the products are ultraprocessed. Many of them are high in sugar, high in sodium, but parents really cannot tell that from just walking down the aisle.”

According to the WHO Nutrient and Promotion Profile Model, commercial foods marketed for children should contain no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners, no concentrated fruit juices, and should have limited amounts of saturated fat and sodium.

The researchers found a strong connection between ultraprocessed foods and poor nutritional quality.

“We found toddler products which failed to meet WHO standards on sugar were four times as likely to be ultraprocessed,” Hudson explained.

The study also found that nearly one-quarter of toddler food products contained more sodium than recommended, while many others were high in unhealthy fats and calories.

“Almost a quarter of the foods were higher in sodium than is recommended, and some were high in fat and calorie dense. These included organic foods,” Hudson added.

Researchers identified several commonly marketed toddler foods that exceeded recommended nutrition limits, including:

• Fruit pouches and oat bars, which were found to be high in sugar.
• Ready-to-eat macaroni and cheese bowls and turkey sausages, which contained high levels of sodium and fat.
• Peanut butter puffs, which were high in sodium, fat, and calories.

Nutrition experts say the concern extends beyond the ingredients found in ultraprocessed foods.

Jane Houlihan, Research Director at Healthy Babies Bright Futures, who was not involved in the study, said these products often replace healthier foods in children’s diets.

“The problem isn’t just what’s in these high-sugar, high-salt ultraprocessed foods, it’s what they crowd out,” Houlihan said.

She explained that toddlers who regularly consume fruit snacks, sweetened yogurt, crackers, and snack bars are less likely to eat whole grains, vegetables, beans, fruits, and other nutrient-rich foods that are essential for healthy growth and development.

Health experts continue to recommend that parents carefully read nutrition labels, choose minimally processed foods whenever possible, and prioritize fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins for young children. They also encourage manufacturers to improve the nutritional quality of foods marketed to toddlers, helping families make healthier choices during the critical early years of child development.