Janet Ogundepo
The National Action on Sugar Reduction, a non-governmental organisation, has decried the existence of varying standards in the production of baby formula across different countries, labelling it as, “deceptive and discriminatory.”
This stance follows a recent investigation by Public Eye, a Swiss non-governmental research and advocacy group, into the alarming sugar levels detected in Cerelac baby cereals and infant formulas manufactured by Nestle.
According to the report, the Cerelac variant sold in Nigeria contains as much as 6.8g of sugar per serving, which is a stark contrast to its European counterparts, particularly the United Kingdom, where baby formulas are entirely devoid of added sugar.
PUNCH Healthwise highlighted the concerns raised by child health and nutrition specialists regarding the inclusion of sugar in infant formulas.
Nestle, however, has refuted these claims, asserting that it maintains a consistent standard in its production processes.
In a statement made available to PUNCH Healthwise and signed by the Coalition Spokesperson, Omei Bongos-Ikwue, NASR demanded that infant formula and cereal distributed in Nigeria be free from added sugar.
Commenting on the matter, Gloria Okwu, a member of the NASR Coalition and Programme Manager at Project Pink Blue, condemned the “endangerment of children’s lives and exposure to life-threatening illnesses” as “profiteering and criminal.”
She said, “Endangering the lives of children and exposing them to life-threatening illnesses is profiteering and criminal. Having different standards for producing baby formula for different populations is deceptive and discriminatory.
“It’s our collective responsibility to protect them from diseases and situations that could negatively alter their lives now or in the future. No wonder an increasing number of children develop diabetes and cancer earlier in life.”
NASR further urged the government to reinforce regulations in alignment with its demands.
It stated, “Ensure that infant formula and cereal distributed in Nigeria contain no added sugar.
“Ensure the introduction of mandatory, clear warning labels to inform consumers of how much sugar, nutrients, and other agents are contained in all sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and ultra-processed food products in Nigeria.
“Ensure the increase in the sugar-sweetened beverage tax in line with global health recommendations and best practices to reduce consumption of harmful food products, and ensure that SSB tax revenue is invested in public health, especially the prevention and treatment of people living with non-communicable diseases such as diabetes.”
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