Children who eat a regular diet of food which is specifically marketed to appeal to them could be at risk of future health problems such as obesity, diabetes and even cancer, consumer watchdogs have warned.
Products targeted at youngsters, many of which use cartoon characters and colourful labelling, can confuse and mislead parents about what they actually contain, the Consumers' Association said.
They asked a nutritionist to analyse two daily menus of food a child might consume based on the claims and marketing messages made on the products.