Nearly two-thirds of baby food sold in US supermarkets contains unhealthy ingredients, according to a new study.

About 60 percent of the 651 baby food products sold in ten retail stores across the country for infants between the ages of 6 and 36 months do not meet nutritional and advertising guidelines, according to a study by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The alarming results were published in the journal Nutrients on Wednesday, August 21. The study found that 44% of the products exceeded recommended sugar levels and 20% exceeded sodium guidelines. In addition, 70% of the baby foods did not meet protein recommendations.

According to Forbes, eight stores in Raleigh, North Carolina were surveyed between March and May 2023. These include Target, Kroger, Costco, Ahold Delhaize, Publix, Sam’s Club, Target and Aldi. Data from the other two stores, HEB and Safeway, were collected online.

The brand names of the baby food products examined were not mentioned in the study.

According to the WHO’s infant nutrition standards, flavored or sweetened beverages cannot be promoted as baby food. The guidelines also include that no free sugar or concentrated fruit juice can be added, that sugar cannot exceed 15% of total calories and that there is a calorie limit on baby food in general, Forbes reports.

Dr. Elizabeth Dunford, adjunct assistant professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina, told CNN: “Research shows that 50% of the sugar consumed in infant formula comes from pouches… those were some of the worst offenders.”

The advertising guidelines state that baby food products must indicate a minimum and maximum age limit and that ingredients must not be falsely advertised.

Another serious problem highlighted in the study was false advertising. 99% of baby formula was found to contain “misleading” advertising.

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According to Forbes, at least four prohibited claims were found for each product. The most commonly used terms were “organic” (59%), “no artificial colors/flavors” (25%) and “non-GMO” (70%).

Product names also proved misleading: snacks and finger foods were typically labeled as fruit or vegetables, “even though they consist primarily of flour or other starches,” said Dr. Daisy Coyle, research fellow and nutritionist at the George Institute, according to Forbes.

“The lack of regulation in this area opens the door for the food industry to deceive busy parents,” Coyle added in a statement to CNN.

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Dr. Mark Corkins, St. Jude Endowed Chair in Pediatric Gastroenterology at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Tennessee, told the outlet, “One of the biggest concerns with baby and toddler foods is the often fictitious health claims on the front of products. Some of these are obvious, some are merely implied, and they could mislead parents and guardians.”

“Concerned, well-meaning parents read claims such as ‘healthy’ and nutritious and will not only buy these products but will also spend more money on them because of those claims,” ​​he added.