MANY “healthy” snacks for infants are no better than sweets, officials warned yesterday.

Parents who buy processed products boasting high fruit or vitamin content are often unaware they can be up to two-thirds sugar.

Three in four kids aged from 18 months to four years are now consuming too many calories as a result, according to research by Public Health England. Alison Tedstone, its chief nutritionist, called for clearer labelling.

She said: “Some of these products have lots of statements saying they are one of your five a day, organic or full of vitamins.

“They are basically sweets but they are marketed as being 100 per cent pure and it’s confusing parents.”

Health experts recommend snacks such as fresh fruit, plain yoghurt, carrot sticks and toast soldiers.

Last night Declan O’Brien, of the British Specialist Nutrition Association, which represents baby food companies, insisted: “Our members have been working with PHE. Baby food products are already tightly regulated and tailored to meet the specific needs of young children.”

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