Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust has come under fire for advising parents to wean their babies on chocolate buttons, crisps and biscuits as part of guidance on "dissolvable" foods.
The recommendations, which have since been taken down from the website, were issued in the North East of England, home to some of the most severe cases of childhood obesity.
Recent data suggests nearly a quarter of 10 to 11-years-olds in Gateshead are classified as obese, significantly exceeding the national average of 20.1 per cent.
Online guidance described snacks like chocolate buttons, crisps and biscuits as a "great middle step for children struggling to accept lumps of food", suggesting the items melt easily in the mouth.
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The recommendations have sparked alarm among health experts
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But the recommendations have sparked alarm among health experts. Dr Monica Gupta, a consultant paediatrician at Central Health London, warned the guidance posed serious risks of interpretation.
"Parents could easily misread it as a recommendation for routine use," Dr Gupta told GB News. "It risks encouraging exactly the wrong foods at exactly the wrong stage in a baby's life."
She insists any clinical use of dissolvable texture for feeding therapy purposes should be clearly distinguished from standard weaning recommendations.
The now-deleted webpage specifically listed Cadbury's chocolate buttons, prawn crackers and Pom Bear crisps among its recommended options.
Sponge finger biscuits, ice cream wafers, Wotsits and Cheerios also feature on the guidance. The foods were presented as items that dissolve easily, with parents advised to place the snacks inside their child's mouth to "encourage chewing skills".
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The guidance did acknowledge the products should "only be given as snacks due to (their) high fat and sugar content". But it stands in stark contrast to national NHS guidelines.
Typically, an infant begins their journey with solid foods from around six months, progressing from puréed options to finger foods.
The health service highlights that weaning foods should be nutritious, incorporating vegetables, fruits, starchy foods like potatoes and rice, as well as boneless meat and fish.
It also underscores babies under 12 months old should have no added sugar whatsoever, while salt intake should remain below 1g daily.
"The kidneys are not mature enough to handle the extra salt load, and repeated early sugar exposure can shape taste preferences from very early on, which we know has many harmful effects downstream, from biological to psychological and every in between," Dr Gupta explained.
However, the snacks recommended by Gateshead NHS exceed these limits by a significant margin.
A single portion of Wotsits contains almost half a baby's daily salt allowance. Meanwhile, a 20g serving of chocolate buttons contains 11g of sugar, well above the zero grams recommended for under-ones.
Gateshead NHS clarified that the foods were cited as examples of an easily dissolvable textures
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The trust defended its position by saying the guidance originated from a patient leaflet designed with clinical input for children with specific feeding and swallowing difficulties.
A spokesman for Gateshead NHS clarified the foods were cited as examples of easily dissolvable textures rather than dietary recommendations for routine consumption.
The webpage has been removed pending a review to ensure the wording aligns with the current guidance and best practice.
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