Some baby formula milk contains up to twice as much sugar as a Fanta fizzy drink, a new study has found.
Formula milk for babies under 12 months old, used by 60 per cent of women who do not breastfeed, was found to contain as much as 8.7g of sugar per 100ml compared with 4.6g of sugar per 100ml for Fanta.
The international study, published in the British Dental Journal, was carried out by Gemma Bridge, of Leeds Beckett University, and Professor Raman Bedi, professor of transcultural oral health at King's College London and England's former chief dental officer.
More than half of the products looked at in the study contained more than 5g of sugar per 100ml, which is more than the amount found in some fizzy drinks.
The sample of formula milk, collected between May and August last year, was taken from supermarkets and major retailers in 11 countries.
The researchers have warned that the sugar could lead to a range of health issues for children, including obesity and tooth decay.
The study suggested the high level of sugar content in formula could be to do with the natural sweetness of breast milk, which can contain up to 7g of naturally occurring lactose.
"Conversely, infant formula milks have a standardised make-up and contain added sugars such as corn syrup which are added during production and are not found in breast milk," the researchers said.
"This is bad for babies because high consumption of added sugars may contribute to tooth decay, poor diet and lead to obesity in children."
Researchers warned that the high sugar levels could lead to babies developing a sweet tooth as they get older, causing health problems.
The study has sparked calls from the researchers for better regulation of sugar content in formula milk.
Publishing their conclusions, they said: "Findings suggest that globally, infant formula products are higher in carbohydrates, sugar and lactose than breastmilk.
"Labelling is unclear and inconsistent across brands and between countries.
"Based on the findings of this study, mandatory regulation of sugar content in formula products is needed with clear front-of-pack nutrition information to help consumers choose the healthy option for their infants."
