child health
Growing up in India in the 1990s, healthy drinks were seen as an important part of childhood. While I received praise for gulping down milk infused with “healthy powder,” I vividly remember my daily struggles with milk, when my brother almost threw up the milk before he left for school. . My mother fondly recalled that I transitioned to “lactogen” milk after breastfeeding. After all, Indians believed that these “international” infant formulas and mixed milks held the key to taller, smarter, and faster children. It is also important to note that at the time, India faced a huge burden of malnourished, stunted, and wasted children. The obvious quick-fix solution to malnutrition in children seems to be these magic formulas, fortified morning cereals, and flavored powdered drinks.
Luckily, I grew up with polycystic ovaries and became pre-diabetic in my late 20s. This journey led me to pursue a career in public health specializing in nutrition policy and advocacy. Therefore, I had the unique opportunity to learn about the clear scientific evidence about the importance of diet in influencing health. But most disappointingly, we learned that artificially added sugar is the number one culprit in exacerbating the risk of obesity, diabetes, and metabolic disorders in growing children. I was shocked to read that most of the brands we “trust” sell sugar in the name of health drinks. Despite their appealing taste, these products have enslaved generations of Indians to a cycle of sugar-laden and processed foods. The reason for the old saying, “You are what you eat!” is clearly revealed.
India, once considered a nation of undernourished children, is now a global diabetes capital. Approximately 77 million people over the age of 18 have diabetes, and approximately 25 million have pre-diabetes. Surprisingly, there is a clear lack of awareness among the educated population about the negative effects that branded “health food supplements” have on children.
On the contrary, my interaction with my family gave me a completely different perspective on the consumption of such baby food. She once complained to me that her 5-year-old child wasn’t growing taller and looked malnourished. I quickly reminded her that she needed to be fed a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats. She replied that poor people like her cannot afford the expensive powder mixes recommended by famous Bollywood stars.
Similarly, she showed me an ad on her phone that said one glass of Cerelac was equivalent to eating five fruits and vegetables a day. And the lack of access to these coveted foods explains why poor children are short, thin and malnourished. I was shocked and disappointed. And I tried my best to explain that all these artificial powders and infant formulas are “necessary” for health, and how good it is to feed your child whole fruits. To this she replied, do you know how expensive it is to buy pomegranates in the market and how difficult it is to peel them and give them to your children when they come to work?
Time has passed and I have had the wonderful opportunity to become a mother. The moment I started my first semester. My mother yelled that it was time to buy a “healthy drink for mom.” And I immediately said, “No!” I told her mother how unhealthy that powder meant sugar for me and my growing baby. My mother was quite surprised.
The moment my baby was born, friends and family started bombarding me with recommendations for formula feeding. But armed with our medical knowledge, her husband and I advocated for breastfeeding and led our own communication campaign within our family about how popular baby formula is full of unhealthy sugars.
Powdered milk is convenient when traveling, but we were looking forward to the day when we could switch our baby to cow’s milk completely. The next choice we faced as parents was to choose free food once our child started eating food. Like other Indians, it was customary to buy Nestle’s “Cerelac”, but of course now it comes in many different flavors and colors. Again, now that we know how sugar is artificially added to these baby foods, we decided to make them. Digi Cererac at home. Yes, it’s possible! Google and YouTube are no different and all caregivers have access to countless recipes for making baby food at home.
The personal story of a child, public health researcher, and then mother comes after Swiss investigators detected high levels of sugar in Cerelac, a product sold by Nestlé in India. This is what I thought when I saw the breaking news. Don’t stop, share these experiences. This revelation marks a pivotal moment in debunking myths surrounding processed baby foods. This highlights the urgent need for consumer awareness and government intervention to regulate harmful foods. As I reflect on my journey from a child consuming large amounts of sugary supplements to a mother advocating healthy nutrition, I encourage readers to reconsider their food choices.
The long road ahead will include stricter government regulations, warning labels on baby foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt, private doctors discontinuing powdered milk, support for breastfeeding, mainstreaming of healthy homemade baby recipes, and large-scale This could begin with a movement by people seeking to popularize nutritional supplements. A media campaign to spread awareness about the importance of diet, health, local and whole foods!
(This article was written by Dr. Ananya, a public health researcher specializing in global health at Harvard University and director of Anuvaad.)
(The opinions expressed belong solely to the author.)
