Consumption patterns of sweetened condensed milk in the diet of young Indonesian children and its potential nutritional health consequences

• Published in: Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition Vol. 29; no. 1; pp. 16 - 26
• Main Authors: Juffrie, Mohammad, Sartika, Ratu Ayu Dewi, Sparringa, Roy Alexander, Wibowo, Lindawati, Lukito, Widjaja
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia HEC Press 01.03.2020
• Subjects: Animals; Artificially Sweetened Beverages - statistics & numerical data; Beverages; Breastfeeding & lactation; Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Child, Preschool; Children; Consumption; Cross-Sectional Studies; Descriptive labeling; Diet Surveys; Diet therapy for children; Dietary supplements; Evaluation; Food; Health and hygiene; Health aspects; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Indonesia; Infant; Marketing; Milk; Milk - statistics & numerical data; Milk consumption; Nutrition; Nutrition research; Nutritive Value; Product Labeling - legislation & jurisprudence; Product safety; Production capacity; Proteins; Recommended Dietary Allowances; Socioeconomic Factors; Supplies; Indonesia; United States > US; metabolic disorders; health outcomes; young children; sweetened condensed milk; sugar-sweetened beverages
• ISSN: 0964-7058; 1440-6047
• DOI: 10.6133/apjcn.202003_29(1).0003

This critical review is intended to analyse the existing studies on the consumption patterns of sweetened condensed milk in the diet of young Indonesian children and its potential nutritional health consequences. Considering its limited nutritional value and high sugar content, sweetened condensed milk (SCM) should not be administered to young children (1-3 years old) with the goal of promoting their growth and development. However, such false practice has been reported in mostly urban studies among the underprivileged population. Conclusive scientific evidence is also still lacking regarding the health risks of long-term SCM consumption by young Indonesian children at early ages, as no study has focused on this specific topic. Nevertheless, inadequate understanding of SCM, its consumption patterns, and its long-term effects on health among young Indonesian children have been implicated in public confusion on the topic. Ongoing disparities that exist between regulation, industrial practices, and product advertisement have led to poor understanding in communities, which, to a considerable extent, has contributed to difficulties in segregating data on the consumption of SCM and its related products. Analogous to sugar-sweetened beverages, limited SCM consumption can be recommended when appropriately implemented with active monitoring and evaluation of product advertisements and product labeling, enforcement of regulations, and provision of effective customer education.