Swiss multinational food and beverage company Nestlé is under scrutiny after reports revealed that it has been adding sugar and honey to its infant milk and cereal products sold in poorer countries.
News About Nigeria reports that this violates international health guidelines aimed at preventing obesity and chronic diseases.
According to findings by the Swiss investigative organisation Public Eye, as reported by The Guardian, baby food products marketed in African and Latin American markets contain different formulas than those sold in European markets.
It was discovered that Nido infant milk for children one year and older and Cerelac cereal for kids between the ages of six months and two years had additional sugar and honey.
This contradicts international recommendations that advise against sugar intake in the diets of children under the age of two to four.
Furthermore, studies show that obesity rates are rising in middle-class and low-income nations.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported a nearly 23% increase in overweight children under five in Africa since 2000.
The Brazilian and Indian markets account for 40% of Cerelac sales, the highest sales figures among low- to middle-income nations.
In Brazil, six out of eight Nestle products contained 4 grammes of added sugar per serving, while Nigerian products contained 6.8 grammes.
The report also shows variations in sugar content across regions.
For example, six grammes of additional sugar were found in biscuit-flavoured cereal for six-month-old babies that was meant for Senegal and South Africa but not for Europe.
Nido products also showed differences, with about 2g of added sugar per 100g of product in Indonesia, mostly in the form of honey.
In Mexico, two out of three Nido products for toddlers had no extra sugar, while the third contained 1.7g per serving.
Nido Kinder 1+ products in South Africa, Nigeria, and Senegal each contained nearly 1 gramme per serving.
