By Aderogba George
The National Action on Sugar Reduction (NASR) Coalition, an NGO, has called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to quickly intervene on a claim of more sugar in baby formula.
A statement signed by the coalition spokesperson, Omei Bongos-Ikwue, on Sunday in Abuja, stated that the coalition made the call during a protest at NAFDAC Headquarters in Abuja.
Bongos-Ikwue said in the statement that a recent investigative report by a UK newspaper (The UK Guardian) revealed that baby formulas now contain sugar.
According to her, the UK Guardian has revealed that Nestlé, a notable consumer goods company, allegedly added sugar into baby formula and cereals placed in African markets.
She said that the report further disclosed that a Cerelac variety sold in Nigeria contains up to 6.8g of sugar per serving.
The spokesperson stated that “the situation is in contrast to the varieties sold in Europe, including the UK, where baby formulas contain no added sugar at all.”
She called on NAFDAC to quickly intervene in the situation with strong legislations before it get off hands.
Mrs Gloria Okwu, a member of the coalition, who is also the Programme Manager of Project Pink Blue (PPB), a cancer advocacy organisation, also describing such act in the statement as “criminal.”.
Okwu said that “endangering the lives of children and exposing them to life-threatening illnesses is profiteering and criminal.”
According to her, having different standards for producing baby formula for different populations is deceptive and discriminatory.
“In Nigeria, 29 per cent of deaths are caused by Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). Countries like Nigeria still face double burden of malnutrition, with undernutrition and obesity often existing side by side.
“Exposing children to high-sugar foods can encourage early formation of dietary patterns that increase the risk of childhood obesity, without resolving issues of poor nutrition.
“The lives of children all over the world matter, and it our collective responsibility to protect them from diseases and situations that could negatively alter their lives now or in the future.
“No wonder, an increasing number of children develop diabetes and cancer early in life,” she stressed.
She called on NAFDAC to quickly intervene in the situation by strengthen regulations in line with these demands. (NAN)