COMMIT to better regulations for first foods
Strengthening national regulations for commercially produced complementary foods in Southeast Asia
In today’s increasingly modern and urbanized world, traditional diets are shifting towards more processed foods that are higher in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats, and lower in essential nutrients. Young children’s diets are no exception. More and more parents have limited time to prepare home cooked meals for every feeding. In response, the food industry has been quick to develop and market packaged, ready-to-eat or instant foods and beverage products as appropriate for young children between 6 months and 3 years of age. As a result, sales of commercially produced complementary foods have risen by 45% in the past 5 years.
But are the commercially produced complementary foods sold in Southeast Asia appropriate for young children? And are Governments adequately regulating them?
What is a commercially produced complementary food?
They are commercially produced food and beverage products that are specifically promoted as suitable for older infants and young children between 6 months and 3 years of age.
Products are considered to be ‘promoted as suitable’ for this age group if they meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Are recommended for introduction to children at an age of less than 3 years.
- Are labelled with the words ‘baby’, ‘toddler’, ‘young child’, or a synonym of these words.
- Have a label with an image of a child who appears to be younger than 3 years of age or being fed with a bottle.
- Are in any other way presented as being suitable for children up to the age of 3 years (images, drawings, wording, etc).
Foods are not considered to be commercially produced complementary foods if they are packaged snack or junk foods for general consumption (i.e., not labelled as suitable for children under 3 years of age) or are street foods / foods sold by vendors (even if commonly consumed by children under 3 years of age).
Download and explore the COMMIT Summary Report
The Consortium for Improving Complementary Foods in Southeast Asia – known as COMMIT – was established to better understand the use, quality and regulation of commercially produced complementary foods in Southeast Asia. To this end, COMMIT conducted an assessment of more than 1,600 commercially produced complementary food products, as well as consumer behaviours and existing regulations in seven countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam.
To find out more about the key findings across Southeast Asia, download the COMMIT Summary Report.
What does the study show?
The diets of older infants and young children lack sufficient micronutrient content to adequately fuel their growth and development.
Mothers are conscious of the nutrient composition of commercially produced complementary foods and are influenced by the information and claims on their labels.
There are critical gaps in the regulatory environment for commercially produced complementary foods in Southeast Asia.
Many of the commercially produced complementary food products currently on the market are of poor nutritional quality and/or use labelling practices that may mislead consumers.
- Nearly half of all products studied included added sugars and sweeteners;
- More than one third included more sodium than recommended;
- Nearly 90% had labels with claims which could be misleading or deceptive.
Taking action
COMMIT therefore recommends that countries across Southeast Asia develop new, or update existing, national regulations on the nutrient composition and labelling practices of commercially produced complementary foods, in line with international guidance. Regulations should prohibit the use of added sugars and sweeteners, limit sugar and sodium content and outlaw the use of misleading marketing and labelling practices.
Strict government monitoring and enforcement of national regulations on commercially produced complementary foods is also essential.
Compendium of international standards and guidelines
To help guide the development of new or updated national standards for commercially produced complementary foods, COMMIT developed a ‘Compendium of international standards and guidelines for the improved composition and labelling of commercially produced complementary foods in Southeast Asia’. The Compendium outlines the essential nutrient composition, production and labelling practice requirements recommended for adoption into national legally binding measures regulating these products. This Compendium is inclusive of all relevant Codex Alimentarius, World Health Organization and European Union Commission Directive standards and guidelines and includes additional recommendations to address specific requirements in the Southeast Asian context.
Results from the COMMIT study were published in a Special Issue of Maternal & Child Nutrition.
Findings from COMMIT were also used to assess local and international commercially produced complementary food manufacturers and provide recommendations to industry for improving products in line with international guidance. The Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNI) has more information on this work.
Studies, findings and guidance
