Nutritional Practices and Commercial Food Consumption in Young Children

Young children experience rapid growth and are highly susceptible to nutritional imbalances. Complementary feeding, the process by which infants transition from exclusive milk feeds to solid and semi-solid foods, represents a critical window for establishing optimal dietary patterns. In many settings, caregivers must choose between homemade preparations and commercially produced options, each carrying distinct implications for nutrient density, taste preferences and feeding interactions. Commercial products, ranging from fortified infant cereals to ultra-processed snack items, have proliferated in both high- and low-income countries. While some commercially manufactured complementary foods provide essential micronutrients, others are high in added sugars, saturated fats or sodium, potentially undermining dietary adequacy and growth. Marketing strategies and front-of-pack labelling schemes shape caregivers’ perceptions, sometimes leading to inadvertent overreliance on less nutritious products. Cultural norms, food insecurity and parental beliefs about convenience, cost and safety further drive patterns of commercial food consumption. Addressing these challenges requires cohesive policy measures—from nutrient profiling and reformulation targets to clear labelling standards—and effective communication strategies that support caregivers in making informed, balanced feeding decisions.

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Nutritional Practices and Commercial Food Consumption in Young Children publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in nutritional practices and commercial food consumption in young children across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Complementary feeding: The introduction of solid or semi-solid foods alongside breastmilk or formula, typically beginning around six months of age.
Ultra-processed foods: Industrial formulations containing minimal whole foods, often high in added sugars, fats or additives.
Front-of-pack labelling: Simplified nutritional information displayed prominently on product packaging to guide consumer choices.
Dietary adequacy: The extent to which an individual’s nutrient intake meets established requirements for growth and development.

References

1. Beliefs, Evaluations, and use of commercial infant Food: A survey among German parents. Food Research International (2024).
2. Effects of marketing claims on toddler food products on parents’ product preferences, perceptions and purchasing intentions: an online experiment. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (2024).
3. High unhealthy food and beverage consumption is associated with poor diet quality among 12–35-month-olds in Guédiawaye Department, Senegal. Frontiers in Nutrition (2023).