Objective: To assess the nutritional suitability of commercially produced complementary foods (CPCF) marketed in three South-East Asian contexts. Design: Based on label information declared on the products, nutrient composition and content of CPCF were assessed against the WHO Europe nutrient profile model (NPM). The proportion of CPCF that would require a ‘high sugar’ warning was also determined. Setting: Khsach Kandal district, Cambodia; Bandung City, Indonesia; and National Capital Region, Philippines Participants: CPCF products purchased in Cambodia (n=68) and Philippines (n=211) in 2020, and Indonesia (n=211) in 2017. Results: Only 4.4% of products in Cambodia, 10.0% of products in Indonesia, and 37.0% of products in the Philippines fully complied with relevant WHO Europe NPM nutrient composition requirements. Sixteen percent of CPCF in Cambodia, 27.0% in Indonesia, and 58.8% in the Philippines contained total sugar content levels that would require a ‘high sugar’ warning. Conclusions: Most of the analyzed CPCF were not nutritionally suitable to be promoted for older infants and young children based on their nutrient profiles, with many containing high levels of sugar and sodium. Therefore, it is crucial to introduce new policies, regulations and standards to limit the promotion of inappropriate CPCF in the South-East Asia region.

Front-of-pack nutrition labelling (FOPNL) can provide a mechanism for communicating the nutritional quality of commercially produced complementary foods (CPCF) to caregivers. To better understand the role FOPNL may provide for CPCF, this study aimed to evaluate CPCFs against national and global FOPNL systems to determine the proportion that would warrant warning or traffic light signs for high levels of concerning nutrients. A cross-sectional assessment was conducted to evaluate the levels of selected nutrients in CPCF available in Australia (n = 266), Brazil (n = 41), Chile (n = 73), Mexico (n = 164), the United States (n = 562), the United Arab Emirates (n = 135), and the United Kingdom (n = 643). The analysis was based on national FOPNL systems and the WHO Regional Office for Europe CPCF nutrient profiling model’s ‘high sugar’ FOPNL warning. A substantial proportion of CPCFs contained excessive levels of total sugar, total fat or saturated fat that would warrant a red/amber traffic light or warning sign on product labels. Additionally, the high prevalence of added sugars and sweeteners identified in CPCFs was concerning. Based on these findings, the use of FOPNL among CPCFs could be beneficial to communicate the nutritional quality of these products to caregivers and trigger the reformulation of CPCFs with inappropriate nutrient profiles.

The nutritional quality of commercially produced complementary food (CPCF) varies widely, with CPCF in high-income settings often containing excessive levels of sugar and sodium. Little is known about the nutritional quality of CPCF available in the West Africa region, despite their potential to improve the nutrition of infants and young children (IYC). This study evaluated the nutritional quality of CPCF available in five West African countries using the WHO Europe nutrient profiling model (NPM) and assessed their suitability for IYC based on label information. The proportion that would necessitate a “high sugar” warning was also determined, and the micronutrient (iron, calcium, and zinc) content was assessed against IYC-recommended nutrient intakes. Of the 666 products assessed, only 15.9% were classified as nutritionally suitable for promotion for IYC. The presence of added sugar and excessive sodium levels were the most common reasons for a product to fail the nutrient profiling assessment. Dry/instant cereals contributed the highest percentage of recommended nutrient intake (RNI) per serving. This highlights the need for policies to improve the nutritional quality of CPCF in West Africa, including labeling standards and the use of front-of-pack warning signs to promote product reformulation and clearly communicate nutritional quality to caregivers.