Nutritionists have cautioned parents against excessive reliance on processed foods for children, warning that frequent intake of packaged snacks and sugary meals could expose them to obesity and other long-term health problems.
They explained that most processed foods are high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats, while lacking essential nutrients needed for proper growth, immunity and brain development.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in a December 2025 review on ultra-processed foods (UPFs), noted that children’s diets worldwide are rapidly shifting away from traditional meals towards ultra-processed alternatives designed to maximise profit rather than nutrition. According to the agency, diets high in UPFs increase the risk of overweight, obesity and cardiometabolic diseases, which often persist into adulthood.
Speaking to PUNCH Healthwise, former President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Prof. Wasiu Afolabi, urged parents to prioritise home-cooked meals prepared with fresh, local ingredients. He said excessive consumption of factory-produced foods such as breakfast cereals, biscuits, pastries, snacks and pasta could negatively affect children’s health over time.
While noting that children naturally crave such foods, Afolabi stressed the need for moderation and healthier substitutes, including fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy products. He added that parents should pay attention to food labels to make informed nutritional choices.
Also speaking, a Professor of Public Health Nutrition at Obafemi Awolowo University, Prof. Beatrice Ogunba, advised Nigerians to reduce sugar, salt and fatty foods, warning that many processed products lose vital nutrients during production.
Similarly, nutrition expert, Dr Temilade Babatunde, warned that diets high in processed foods—described as pro-inflammatory—could increase the risk of heart disease and heart failure by triggering chronic inflammation in the body.
