(P06-037-25) Mapping and Nutrient Profiles of Complementary Foods Marketed in Senegal

Objectives: Due to accelerated urbanization and changing lifestyle in West Africa, parents/guardians of infants and young children (IYC) are increasingly choosing commercially produced complementary foods (CPCFs) over home made formulations. This study aimed to assess the compliance of CPCFs marketed in Senegal with the European Nutrient and Promotion Profile Model (NPPM).

Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey conducted in August-October 2023, targeting CPCFs for children aged 6-36 months. An inventory of the CPCFs was carried out in 43 stores sampled in the four departments of the capital city, Dakar. All faces of each CPCF listed were photographed and identification information was recorded (brand, origin, category, etc.). Data relative to nutrient content and labelling practices were extracted from the labels using an electronic questionnaire for assessment against the NPPM requirements. A product did not meet a requirement if it exceeded the permitted thresholds or if no information was provided to assess the criterion. A product was considered compliant with the NPPM if it met all its requirements.

Results: A total of 401 unique CPCFs was available on the Senegalese market, of which 94.3% were imported. Of the 34 brands found, only 14% were local, and 86% were foreign. The main categories were savory meals (34.7%), purees (26.9%) and cereals/dried starches (21.4%), while dairy products (12.2%), snacks (4.0%) and beverages (0.7%) were the least represented. No product was compliant with the overall NPPM, with only 22.7% meeting nutritional criteria and 1% meeting labelling requirements. Regarding nutrient content, most CPCFs had adequate levels of fat (95.8%), added fruit (73.3%), and sodium (71.6%), while 71.3% respected the “no added sugar/sweeteners” requirement. However, only 57.6% had an appropriate energy density, with few (23.4%) having adequate proportions of energy deriving from total sugars. In terms of labelling, the only criterion that was met by almost all products (83%) was the "minimum age recommendation of 6 months".

Conclusions: None of the CPCFs available in Senegal were conform to the NPPM, therefore they should not be marketed as suitable for IYC. To protect this highly vulnerable population, national policies and regulations need to be reinforced to end the inappropriate promotion of CPCFs.

Funding Sources: This study was supported by UNICEF.