Despite the food industry’s claims to have made their products healthier, nearly half of best-selling children’s brands are high in fat, salt and sugar. Some breakfast cereals aimed at children contain as much as 37g of sugar per 100g.
The survey across the UK revealed that parents are trying to make good food choices for their families, but they are hampered by the high levels of artificial additives and the added salt, fat, and sugar, found in so many children’s foods, as well as feeling overwhelmed by the long list of ingredients and confusing health claims on packaging.
National research in England suggest about three in 10 children aged between two and 15 are overweight – and four times as many children and teenagers are admitted to hospital for obesity-related conditions than a decade ago.
Call to Action
The No Junk Challenge has been developed in response to the big issues in the quality of children’s food and the growing obesity crisis. The campaign will call on the government and food industry to address the artificial additives and to remove the high quantities of added salt, fat and sugar content in foods targeted at children.
This year Organix will develop mini campaigns on No Junk Birthdays, No Junk Lunchboxes, and No Junk Halloween, to encourage and inspire parents to choose healthy and nutritious food for their children.
Organix will continue to work with parents and other organisations to develop a manifesto for children’s food in October 2014.