A new study led by researchers in the United Kingdom (UK) has warned that ultraprocessed baby foods are ‘setting children up for a life of obesity’.

Around one in three (31 per cent) ready-made products aimed at babies or toddlers were classified as ultra-processed (UPFs), according to the University of Leeds researchers.

UPFs are mass-produced foods possessing multiple ingredients and additives which have been linked with diseases and bad health. UPF-heavy diets have been associated with increased exposure to 32 different diseases, including cancer, diabetes, depression and heart disease.

A team from the University of Leeds looked into 632 snacks, cereals, pouches and jars of food from top brands including Ella’s Kitchen and Heinz and found that some get up to 89 per cent of their calories from sugar.

Some of the most popular UPF products include ‘melty’ sticks and puffs which are of a low nutritional value, reported the ‘Mailonline’. But the study also found some non-UPF snacks marketed as healthy to have high sugar levels.