Two out of 101 kid’s yoghurts sold in the UK have low sugar levels

Only two out of 101 children’s yogurts sold in the UK have low sugar levels, study finds

• Products aimed at adults are often worse, according to Leeds University 
• Researchers said some yogurts have a ‘health-halo effect’ on consumers 
• People think the snacks are healthy so underestimate the sugar content in them 

Small pots of children’s yogurt typically contain half a child’s daily allowance of sugar, a study has found.

Of 101 yogurts marketed to children in the UK, only two had low levels of sugar, according to research published in the BMJ Open medical journal.

Products aimed at adults are often worse, the Leeds University researchers found, and organic yogurts had the highest sugar content of any on sale in British supermarkets. 

The researchers last night said yogurt comes with a ‘health-halo effect’ – people think it is healthy so underestimate the sugar content.

Of 101 yogurts marketed to children in the UK, only two had low levels of sugar, a study has found

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The results are worrying as children under the age of three are the biggest consumers of yogurt in the UK.

Lead author Dr Bernadette Moore, from the School of Food Science and Nutrition at Leeds, said natural, unsweetened yogurt is a healthy snack for children, packed with protein and calcium.

But as soon as flavourings are added it can be transformed into something that can have a long-lasting impact on a child’s health.

‘Many of the products that were suggested for children’s lunchboxes were high-sugar dessert yogurts,’ she said.

Detailed above is the various sugar content for popular children’s yogurts

‘Our study highlights the challenges and mixed messages that come from the marketing and packaging of yogurt products.’

Her team looked at 921 yogurts available in British supermarkets in November 2016 and found only 9 per cent had less than 5 per cent sugar – the threshold for being classed ‘low sugar’ with a green ‘traffic light’ nutritional label. 

Only two children’s yogurts – both in the Petits Filous Fromage Frais range – were in the low sugar category.

The average children’s yogurt had 10.8 per cent sugar.

Only two children’s yogurts – both in the Petits Filous Fromage Frais range (pictured) – were in the low sugar category

For a small 85g pot that equates to 9g of sugar – more than two teaspoons and nearly half the NHS recommended daily allowance of 19g for four- to six-year-olds.

Organic yogurts were found to have the highest average sugar content – 13.1 per cent.

The Government is targeting yogurt as part of its childhood obesity plan, and wants companies to remove 20 per cent of sugar by 2020.

But when the researchers rechecked their data yesterday, to see if any of the worst performers had improved, they found only two of the worst-ten children’s yogurts had reduced their sugar content.

Tim Rycroft, of the Food and Drink Federation, said: ‘Yogurts are a good source of vitamin D, calcium, and other micronutrients that contribute to a healthy diet.

‘Yogurts contain natural sugar from the milk, as well as any fruit that’s included.’

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