Nutrition and packaging characteristics of toddler foods and milks in Australia.

OBJECTIVE To analyse nutritional and packaging characteristics of toddler specific foods and milks in the Australian retail food environment to identify how such products fit within the Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG) and the NOVA classification. DESIGN Cross-sectional retail audit of toddler foods and milks. On-pack product attributes were recorded. Products were categorised as (i) food or milk, (ii) snack food or meal, and (iii) snacks sub-categorised dependent on main ingredients. Products were classified as a discretionary or core food as per the ADG and level of processing according to NOVA classification. SETTING Supermarkets and pharmacies in Australia. RESULTS A total of 154 foods and 32 milks were identified. 80% of foods were snacks, and 60% of foods were classified as core foods, while 85% were ultra-processed (UP). Per 100g, discretionary foods provided significantly more energy, protein, total and saturated fat, carbohydrate, total sugar and sodium (p<0.001) than core foods. Total sugars were significantly higher (p<0.001) and sodium significantly lower (p<0.001) in minimally processed foods than in ultra-processed foods. All toddler milks (n=32) were found to have higher energy, carbohydrate and total sugar levels than full fat cow's milk per 100mL. Claims and messages were present on 99% of foods and all milks. CONCLUSIONS The majority of toddler foods available in Australia are UP snack foods, and do not align with the ADG. Toddler milks, despite being UP, do align with the ADG. A strengthened regulatory approach may address this issue.