First Steps Nutrition Trust
@1stepsnutrition.bsky.social
We are a UK NGO providing evidence based information & resources about good nutrition from pre-conception to 5 years. This account is managed by First Steps Director Dr Vicky Sibson
📰 See our May 2025 newsletter in our news archive for more information, and sign up to our monthly newsletter to receive future updates on other important topics 👏
November 29, 2025 at 7:00 AM
📰 See our May 2025 newsletter in our news archive for more information, and sign up to our monthly newsletter to receive future updates on other important topics 👏
In 2019 we published a report outlining what non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) are, what they’re used for and health concerns, with a focus on pregnant women, infants and young children. We’re working on updating this, though the recommendations remain broadly relevant.
November 29, 2025 at 7:00 AM
In 2019 we published a report outlining what non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) are, what they’re used for and health concerns, with a focus on pregnant women, infants and young children. We’re working on updating this, though the recommendations remain broadly relevant.
Specifically for younger children, SACN recommends:
🍅 Not giving them drinks sweetened with sugar or NSS
AND
🥬 Giving them unsweetened food (not sweetened with either sugar or NSS)
🍅 Not giving them drinks sweetened with sugar or NSS
AND
🥬 Giving them unsweetened food (not sweetened with either sugar or NSS)
November 29, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Specifically for younger children, SACN recommends:
🍅 Not giving them drinks sweetened with sugar or NSS
AND
🥬 Giving them unsweetened food (not sweetened with either sugar or NSS)
🍅 Not giving them drinks sweetened with sugar or NSS
AND
🥬 Giving them unsweetened food (not sweetened with either sugar or NSS)
🍇 “SACN and WHO agree that a reduction in consumption of free sugars, alongside other positive changes to diet, is likely to be beneficial to health overall”. 🥦
November 29, 2025 at 7:00 AM
🍇 “SACN and WHO agree that a reduction in consumption of free sugars, alongside other positive changes to diet, is likely to be beneficial to health overall”. 🥦
However, it is important to remember that in our quest to reduce young children’s sugar intakes, we should not be simply swapping sugar for sweeteners.
November 29, 2025 at 7:00 AM
However, it is important to remember that in our quest to reduce young children’s sugar intakes, we should not be simply swapping sugar for sweeteners.
❗ ICYMI – Last week was Sugar Awareness week…
It’s important we all try to reduce the levels of sugar in our diet. Young children in particular are consuming too much free sugar.
Increased sugar intake is linked to dental decay and increased levels of overweight and obesity in children.
It’s important we all try to reduce the levels of sugar in our diet. Young children in particular are consuming too much free sugar.
Increased sugar intake is linked to dental decay and increased levels of overweight and obesity in children.
November 29, 2025 at 7:00 AM
❗ ICYMI – Last week was Sugar Awareness week…
It’s important we all try to reduce the levels of sugar in our diet. Young children in particular are consuming too much free sugar.
Increased sugar intake is linked to dental decay and increased levels of overweight and obesity in children.
It’s important we all try to reduce the levels of sugar in our diet. Young children in particular are consuming too much free sugar.
Increased sugar intake is linked to dental decay and increased levels of overweight and obesity in children.
Plus, lots more! Make sure you’re signed up to our newsletters for all the updates. You can find the link in our bio, or follow this link to sign up 👏
firststepsnutrition.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=...
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November 24, 2025 at 6:11 AM
Plus, lots more! Make sure you’re signed up to our newsletters for all the updates. You can find the link in our bio, or follow this link to sign up 👏
firststepsnutrition.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=...
firststepsnutrition.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=...
🌽 We were delighted to be asked by Unicef BFI who are working with the RCPCH, to provide our logo and a QR code to update the infant feeding pages in the Personal Child Health Record (‘Red book’) given to all parents in England shortly after their child has been born.
November 24, 2025 at 6:11 AM
🌽 We were delighted to be asked by Unicef BFI who are working with the RCPCH, to provide our logo and a QR code to update the infant feeding pages in the Personal Child Health Record (‘Red book’) given to all parents in England shortly after their child has been born.
🥬 We coordinated a joint letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Minister for Public Health, urging the DHSC to publish their long-overdue response to the CMA recommendations.
November 24, 2025 at 6:11 AM
🥬 We coordinated a joint letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the Minister for Public Health, urging the DHSC to publish their long-overdue response to the CMA recommendations.
🍇 We published our half-yearly formula cost updates to support conversations between health professionals and parents (share images of the pink report and infographic). This latest formula cost data and trend analysis received media coverage in the Telegraph, Daily Mail, and BMJ.
November 24, 2025 at 6:11 AM
🍇 We published our half-yearly formula cost updates to support conversations between health professionals and parents (share images of the pink report and infographic). This latest formula cost data and trend analysis received media coverage in the Telegraph, Daily Mail, and BMJ.
🥕 Vicky also delivered online trainings on starting solids and infant and young child feeding to over 200 health workers and parents in Lanarkshire and Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
November 24, 2025 at 6:11 AM
🥕 Vicky also delivered online trainings on starting solids and infant and young child feeding to over 200 health workers and parents in Lanarkshire and Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
🥦 Vicky presented “Improving baby foods in the UK – an advocacy perspective” at a WHO Europe webinar.
November 24, 2025 at 6:11 AM
🥦 Vicky presented “Improving baby foods in the UK – an advocacy perspective” at a WHO Europe webinar.
🍅 We wished Jasmine a warm farewell as she left for maternity leave — during her time as our Nutrition Officer she has been instrumental in supporting our work on commercial baby foods and has taken our social media communications to a new level. She will be dearly missed!
November 24, 2025 at 6:11 AM
🍅 We wished Jasmine a warm farewell as she left for maternity leave — during her time as our Nutrition Officer she has been instrumental in supporting our work on commercial baby foods and has taken our social media communications to a new level. She will be dearly missed!
Want to know what we got up to last month?
November 24, 2025 at 6:10 AM
Want to know what we got up to last month?
You can find both our 2023 UPF report and the link to join the waiting list for the Lancet Series UPF launch event at the link in our bio. 👏
November 19, 2025 at 6:01 AM
You can find both our 2023 UPF report and the link to join the waiting list for the Lancet Series UPF launch event at the link in our bio. 👏
This report also included our recommendations for the UK government, summarized in 7 key points which include:
🥕 The need to regulate and enforce the composition, labelling and marketing of commercial baby and toddler foods and drinks, utilising the WHO Europe Nutrient and Promotion Profile Model
🥕 The need to regulate and enforce the composition, labelling and marketing of commercial baby and toddler foods and drinks, utilising the WHO Europe Nutrient and Promotion Profile Model
November 19, 2025 at 6:01 AM
This report also included our recommendations for the UK government, summarized in 7 key points which include:
🥕 The need to regulate and enforce the composition, labelling and marketing of commercial baby and toddler foods and drinks, utilising the WHO Europe Nutrient and Promotion Profile Model
🥕 The need to regulate and enforce the composition, labelling and marketing of commercial baby and toddler foods and drinks, utilising the WHO Europe Nutrient and Promotion Profile Model
In 2023 we published our report Ultra-processed foods (UPF) in the diets of infants and young children in the UK. We are proud to have been thought leaders on the intersection of UPFs and infant and young children feeding.
November 19, 2025 at 6:01 AM
In 2023 we published our report Ultra-processed foods (UPF) in the diets of infants and young children in the UK. We are proud to have been thought leaders on the intersection of UPFs and infant and young children feeding.
🥦 How UPFs have come to dominate diets globally, and the links this has to rising rates of chronic disease.
🍓 The systemic nature of the problem, showing that UPFs are a product of a food system driven by corporate interests rather than nutrition, equity or sustainability.
🍓 The systemic nature of the problem, showing that UPFs are a product of a food system driven by corporate interests rather than nutrition, equity or sustainability.
November 19, 2025 at 6:01 AM
🥦 How UPFs have come to dominate diets globally, and the links this has to rising rates of chronic disease.
🍓 The systemic nature of the problem, showing that UPFs are a product of a food system driven by corporate interests rather than nutrition, equity or sustainability.
🍓 The systemic nature of the problem, showing that UPFs are a product of a food system driven by corporate interests rather than nutrition, equity or sustainability.
Speakers include authors of the 3 papers and responses from experts, including the WHO and UNICEF.
This series will be led by experts including Dr. Mathilde Touvier and Professor Carlos Monteiro and will examine...
This series will be led by experts including Dr. Mathilde Touvier and Professor Carlos Monteiro and will examine...
November 19, 2025 at 6:01 AM
Speakers include authors of the 3 papers and responses from experts, including the WHO and UNICEF.
This series will be led by experts including Dr. Mathilde Touvier and Professor Carlos Monteiro and will examine...
This series will be led by experts including Dr. Mathilde Touvier and Professor Carlos Monteiro and will examine...
📰 On Wednesday 19 November 2025 the landmark three-paper Lancet Series on Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs) and Human Health will be launched at an event at the Royal College of Physicians in London, as well as online. ➡️
November 19, 2025 at 6:01 AM
📰 On Wednesday 19 November 2025 the landmark three-paper Lancet Series on Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs) and Human Health will be launched at an event at the Royal College of Physicians in London, as well as online. ➡️
Sign up for our newsletter if you haven’t already, and read November’s edition at the link in our bio! 👏
November 14, 2025 at 6:11 AM
Sign up for our newsletter if you haven’t already, and read November’s edition at the link in our bio! 👏
🍐 We have updated our Eating Well for New Mums resource to reflect the changing, challenging context in which new mums are trying to eat well and changes to services and support like the Healthy Start scheme.
November 14, 2025 at 6:11 AM
🍐 We have updated our Eating Well for New Mums resource to reflect the changing, challenging context in which new mums are trying to eat well and changes to services and support like the Healthy Start scheme.
🍐 A new resource “Unmasking Influence: How commercial actors influence policy and public health” has become publicly available.
November 14, 2025 at 6:11 AM
🍐 A new resource “Unmasking Influence: How commercial actors influence policy and public health” has become publicly available.
🍐 We have published our updated formula milks cost report, trends analysis and infographics to support policy and practice. Our monitoring data on the cost of infant formula in the UK has once again illustrated that there has been no meaningful reduction in cost to UK families...
November 14, 2025 at 6:11 AM
🍐 We have published our updated formula milks cost report, trends analysis and infographics to support policy and practice. Our monitoring data on the cost of infant formula in the UK has once again illustrated that there has been no meaningful reduction in cost to UK families...
🍐Lots of new research has been published including papers on conflicts of interest in infant and young child feeding, a content analysis on the implicit and explicit packaging designs featured on commercial baby food in the UK, and an exploration of food provision challenges across English nurseries
November 14, 2025 at 6:11 AM
🍐Lots of new research has been published including papers on conflicts of interest in infant and young child feeding, a content analysis on the implicit and explicit packaging designs featured on commercial baby food in the UK, and an exploration of food provision challenges across English nurseries