Cereal is a classic breakfast food, but a new study shows that some products for kids might be getting unhealthier. Researchers published a study in JAMA Open Network on May 21 that looked at new children’s cereal products launched in the United States markets between Jan. 1, 2010 and Dec. 31, 2023.
The study did not mention any products by name. It used data from Mintel Global New Products Database, which tracks new product launches for food and beverages. This database includes information on nutritional content, ingredients, packaging and target audience.
Sugar, fat went up during time period studied
According to the researchers’ analysis, the total fat content in cereals has gone up by 33.6% since 2010 and sodium content increased by 32.1%. The amount of sugar in cereals increased by 10.9%.
Carbohydrates stayed relatively stable, going up from 27.32 grams in an average box of cereal during 2010 to 28.45 grams in 2023, the study showed.
Shuoli Zhao, an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at University of Kentucky and co-author of the study, said in a statement to CBS News that breakfast is a critical meal for kids and can affect their energy and concentration.
“If a common breakfast choice like cereal is trending towards lower nutritional quality in its newest iterations, as our study suggests, it potentially makes it harder for parents to ensure their children are getting a healthy start to the day,” Zhao said to CBS. “I also feel these findings contribute to the broader discussion about the overall ‘food environment’ that children are exposed to, as oftentimes, working families may have limited ‘bandwidth’ and time on grocery shopping, which leads to unintended suboptimal decisions in food choices.”
Zhao declined to share which brands were studied, the news outlet noted.
In the study, researchers noted the report was limited as it only covered what it called “newly released” cereals.
Additionally, a study by the National Institutes of Health from 2014 noted that some cereals, particularly those that have whole grain or a lot of fiber, can be a source of important vitamins and minerals.
