Cereal boxes show bowlfuls that are ‘too big and unrealistic’

BREAKFAST cereal portions are depicted as too big, as experts say pictures on the boxes are unrealistic.

While images of UK cereals such as Frosties and Coco Pops show bowls “brimming to the top with cereal and milk”, containing as much of 90g of cereal, their packaging recommends portion sizes of just 30g.

“This suggests that if the imagery is imitated, children aged four to 10 would be exceeding their daily limit of free sugars by 12.5 per cent by eating one bowl,” the study published in the British Dental Journal found.

The study investigated 13 breakfast cereals and analysed the content of the packaging for its imagery, health claims and nutritional content.

Several cereals were found to be more than one third sugar by weight.

The investigation also found that even if the manufacturer’s suggested portion size was used eight of the 13 cereals provided more than half of the recommended daily sugar intake for a child between the ages of four and six.

It concluded that claims about whole grains, vitamins and folic acid “might mislead consumers into thinking the cereals are healthier than they are”.

The study said: “Dental and other health professionals need to be aware of the high sugar content of these cereals and the marketing techniques that are used by their manufacturers when giving advice to children and their parents.”

The Association of Cereal Food Manufacturers said: “Breakfast cereals are an important source of fibre, vitamins, and minerals.”

Last month, the head of the NHS in England called for manufacturers to review the sugar content of products.

Giving evidence to the Commons health and social care committee, Simon Stevens said that the breakfast cereals were contributing to increased childhood obesity in the UK.

“On average children are having the equivalent of three sugar lumps at breakfast. For poorer children that is often much worse. That is obviously contributing a lot to the childhood obesity epidemic,” he said.

In June the Government published a plan that aims to halve childhood obesity in England by 2030.