Four out of five foods sold for toddlers in the U.S. are ultra-processed, according to new research
Nearly half of the items analyzed also failed to meet at least one nutritional benchmark for children set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Promotion Profile Model for commercial foods intended for children aged six to 36 months
“Many parents may assume that products sold on the baby/toddler food aisles of their grocery stores have to meet certain nutrient standards. Our findings highlight that half of the toddler foods available in local grocery stores do not,” said Erin A. Hudson, lead author and science policy fellow with the American Society for Nutrition, in a press release
“As a result, parents have to be vigilant in checking labels and ingredients to determine the nutrient content and processing level of products for their toddlers.”
Out of 2,783 products analyzed, 81 per cent were classified as ultra-processed, with 17 per cent of products failing to meet the WHO-recommended nutrient content levels for sugar. Twenty- five per cent failed for sodium, 11 per cent failed for fat content and 12 per cent failed for energy density
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering new guidelines for front-of-package nutrition labels, healthy claims and marketing of food products to children, as the U.S. does not currently require warning labels on any food products that are high in sugar, sodium or calories
The study’s findings were presented at Nutrition 2026, the flagship annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition being held in National Harbor, Md
Children eat highest amounts of ultra-processed foods in U.S
David Jenkins, professor of nutrition at the University of Toronto and director of the Risk Factor Modification Centre at St. Michael’s Hospital, said that the study’s results show that while concern surrounding ultra-processed food consumption is present, people “don’t actually know what ultra-processed foods are.”
“Obviously some ultra-processed foods are good, others are bad, and they’re [consumers] not always told,” he said. “I think that the nutrition field, unfortunately, because of its language but also because of the enthusiasm that everyone has towards nutrition […] I think it’s made more confusion than it’s given clarity.”
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A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from the National Center for Health Statistics found that Americans from one-year-old and up got about 55 per cent of their daily calories from ultra-processed foods from August 2021 to August 2023
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Young Americans ages one to 18 were found to have “ate and drank even more ultra-processed foods,” with 61.9 per cent of their calories from these types of foods. In comparison, adults aged 19 and older got 53 per cent of their calories from ultra-processed foods
“This means that more than half of their calories came from foods and beverages that are often high in sodium, high-fructose corn syrup or unhealthy fats,” the survey reads
The most common ultra-processed foods consumed by children and adults included sandwiches (including burgers), sweet baked goods such as cookies and cakes, salty snacks (such as chips) and sugary drinks, like soda
To prevent consuming large amounts of ultra-processed foods, Jenkins advised education on which types of foods are actually ultra-processed and which are not
“People are told that they should have more dietary fibre, but nobody knows what, nobody knows what to take. People say, ‘take whole grains,’ nobody really knows what whole grains are. Is it just brown bread? What is whole grain?” he said. “You’ve got to be careful [about] what you call is processed and what you call is unprocessed.”
Is Canada in a similar position?
A January 2025 JAMA Open Network study found that “Canada ranks among the top five countries for the highest ultra-processed food sales,” citing ultra-processed foods as “accessible, ready-to-consume, and convenient food options for the consumers.”
The study also found that “almost half of the daily energy intake among Canadian preschoolers came from ultra-processed foods,” with a correlation found between high ultra-processed food intake and “higher odds of living with overweight or obesity among males,” with no associations among females
A link between consumption of ultra-processed foods in preschool years and behavioural issues in childhood was also noted in a March 2026 Child Cohort Study
The first-of-its-kind research conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto analyzed dietary data of 2,077 Canadian three-year-olds collected from September 2011 to April 2018, finding that “higher [ultra-processed food] intake at age three years was associated with adverse behavioural and emotional symptoms at age five years.”
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In addition, for every 10 per cent rise in calories coming from ultra-processed foods, five-year-olds had higher instances of “internalizing” behaviours (44.6 per cent), such as anxiety and fearfulness, and “externalizing” behaviours (39.6 per cent), including aggression and hyperactivity, as well as overall behavioural difficulties
Almost half (48 per cent) of Canadian preschoolers’ daily energy intake came from ultra-processed foods
In relation to baby food, a July 2025 Statistics Canada report states that the Canadian baby food market is projected to reach $967.7 million by 2029, with “prepared baby food and ‘other’ baby food (including snacks)” being “key growth drivers,” with expected compound annual growth rate of 10.5 per cent and 8.8 per cent, respectively, from 2024 to 2029
However, import reliance dropped in 2024, reflecting “a shift towards organic ingredients and diverse flavor combinations.”
“The rise of functional, health-focused, and plant-based snacks aligns with consumer trends prioritizing convenience, quality, and sustainability,” the report reads. “Natural, organic, and GMO-free claims are increasingly important, with organic products representing a significant share of launches.”
Overall, up to 8,300 deaths could be prevented across Canada if the country’s population halved its consumption of ultra-processed foods, according to an in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine
When shopping for healthy snacks for kids, Jenkins said that “the answer is not as easy as you would like.”
“I think everything’s coming together to show us that we’ve not been going in the right direction.”
