Stakeholders Seek Stricter Policies to Fortify Baby Formula

James Emejo in Abuja

Stakeholders under the National Action on Sugar Reduction (NASR) have urged the federal government to eliminate sugar in baby formula and implement stronger food safety policies that include clear nutrition labels on processed products.

The advocates who protested at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) headquarters in Abuja, objected to the addition of sugar in baby food.

The action followed a recent report by UK newspaper, The Guardian, which revealed that Nestlé, a notable consumer goods company, added sugars into baby formula and cereals in African markets.

The investigative report had further disclosed that one Cerelac variety sold in Nigeria contained up to 6.8 grams of sugar per serving, in contrast to varieties sold in Europe, where baby formulas contain Og of sugar.

The World Health Organisation had called it “double standard.”

Speaking at the advocacy rally, a member of NASR Coalition/Programme Manager at Project Pink Blue, a cancer advocacy organisation, Gloria Okwu, 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.

“The lives of children worldwide 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 are starting to develop diabetes and cancer earlier in life.”

According to a statement issued by NASR Coalition spokesperson, Omei Bongos-Ikwue, in Nigeria, one in three deaths was caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease and diabetes.

Ironically, while the country was starting to battle diet-related conditions like obesity, undernutrition remains a public health problem.

The statement added that feeding children with high-sugar foods could increase the risk of childhood obesity without improving the issues caused by poor nutrition.