NASR Coalition raises alarm over infant baby formula, cereal
The NASR Coalition has urged the Federal government to promptly enhance the regulation of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and ultra-processed food products in Nigeria, with a particular focus on demanding clear nutrition labels and the elimination of added sugar in baby formula.
This urgency, according to the Coalition is in response to a recent investigative report by a UK newspaper that exposed a major consumer goods company for adding sugars to baby formula and cereals specifically marketed in African regions.
The report, the Coalition added, further disclosed that one Cerelac variety sold in Nigeria contains up to 6.8g of sugar per serving which is in contrast to the varieties sold in Europe, including the UK, where baby formulas contain no added sugar at all.
NASR Coalition, in a statement by its Spokesperson, Omei Bongos-Ikwue on Monday, the World Health Organisation called the development a “double standard.”
Reacting to this disclosure, Gloria Okwu, a member of the Coalition and Program Manager at Project Pink Blue, a cancer advocacy organisation, 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.”
“In Nigeria, 29% of deaths are caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Countries like Nigeria still face a double burden of malnutrition, with undernutrition and obesity often existing side by side.
“Exposing children to high-sugar foods can encourage the early formation of dietary patterns that increase the risk of childhood obesity, without resolving issues of poor nutrition.
“The lives of children all over the world matter, and 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.”
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As part of its three key demands following the discovery, the NASR Coalition is asking the Nigerian government to ensure that infant formula and cereal distributed in Nigeria contain no added sugar.
The Federal government is also urged to 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.
In addition, the government is advised to ensure that the increase in the sugar-sweetened beverage tax is in line with global health recommendations and best practices to reduce the 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.