Stop Feeding Children Excessive Processed Food

Nutritionists warn against excessive processed food intake in children
UNICEF raises alarm over rising ultra processed diets
Experts urge parents to prioritise homemade nutritious meal

Nutritionists have advised parents to cut down on children’s consumption of processed foods, warning that frequent intake of packaged snacks and sugar laden meals could expose them to serious nutrition related health problems.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that they explained that most processed foods contain high levels of sugar, salt and unhealthy fats while lacking essential nutrients required for healthy growth and brain development. According to them, regular consumption increases the risk of childhood obesity, weakened immunity and early onset non communicable diseases.

The warning follows a December 2025 review by the United Nations Children’s Fund, which noted that children’s diets globally are rapidly shifting away from traditional meals to ultra processed foods. UNICEF stated that such foods are designed to maximise profit rather than nutrition, combining sugar, fats, salt and additives that encourage overconsumption.

The UN agency warned that children and adolescents who consume diets high in ultra processed foods face higher risks of overweight, obesity and cardiometabolic conditions, with consequences that often persist into adulthood.

Speaking on the issue, a former President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Prof Wasiu Afolabi, said eating habits formed in childhood play a crucial role in long term health outcomes. He urged parents to prioritise home cooked meals prepared with fresh and local ingredients.

Afolabi described processed foods as factory produced products and said excessive consumption would negatively affect children’s health over time. He said, “Generally, children have a strong taste for these foods. We must take caution and limit the kind of processed foods they consume.”

He listed common examples as breakfast cereals, biscuits, pastries, snacks and pasta, adding that moderation was key. According to him, limiting processed foods would prevent children from developing habits of frequent sugar intake.

Corroborating his view, a Professor of Public Health Nutrition at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Prof Beatrice Ogunba, urged Nigerians to embrace homemade meals. She said most processed foods lose nutrients during production and advised families to reduce sugar, salt and fatty foods.

Another nutrition expert, Dr Temilade Babatunde, warned that excessive intake of processed foods could promote inflammation in the body, increasing the risk of heart disease and heart failure later in life.