A new study has found that many American breakfast cereals are becoming less nutritious. The cereals contain more sugar, fat, and sodium than in the past, while the amount of protein and fiber — key parts of a healthy diet — is going down.
The study was published Wednesday in the journal JAMA Network Open. Researchers looked at 1,200 new or reformulated breakfast cereals released in the United States between 2010 and 2023. They found that most were less healthy than before.
The findings may deepen the ongoing debate about processed foods, rising childhood obesity, and chronic health problems. The issue has received more attention since Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launched his “Make America Healthy Again” campaign. Kennedy has criticized ultra-processed foods and recently called sugar “poison.” He also announced that the Department of Health and Human Services would work to remove some artificial dyes from foods due to health concerns for children.
Shuoli Zhao, a professor of agricultural economics at the University of Kentucky and a co-author of the study, said the results were surprising.
“Many products make healthy claims on the front label, but the nutrition facts on the back tell a different story,” he said. Zhao pointed out that people are becoming more aware of the dangers of eating too much sugar, salt, and fat, which can lead to diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer.
The researchers used data from Mintel, a marketing firm. They did not name specific brands or track what people actually bought or ate. Most of the cereals in the study were relaunches of existing products, often with changes in taste or nutrition.
From 2010 to 2023, the fat content per serving of new cereals rose by almost 34%. Sodium increased by 32%, and sugar by nearly 11%. At the same time, the levels of fiber and protein went down.
Ready-to-eat cereals are a staple for American children. Government data shows they are the most commonly eaten breakfast item for kids ages 5 to 12. About one in three American children eats cereal in the morning. In contrast, only 15% eat fruit and just 10% eat eggs for breakfast.
Kellogg, General Mills, and Post Holdings — the top three cereal companies in the U.S. — did not respond to requests for comment.
Peter Lurie, head of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said he was surprised food companies haven’t done more to cut back on sugar, salt, and fat in their products.
“It’s amazing that at a time when Americans care more about health, cereals advertised as healthy are actually becoming less so,” he said.
Nutrition experts have long been critical of sugary cereals like Lucky Charms and Cap’n Crunch. While cereal can be part of a healthy diet, many products are heavily sweetened and processed.
Dr. Josephine Connolly-Schoonen, who runs the nutrition division at Stony Brook Medicine, said the study shows how hard it is for parents to shop for healthy foods.
“The marketplace is confusing on purpose,” she said. “Food companies design it that way.” She encourages parents to serve whole foods for breakfast, such as oats, fruit, eggs, peanut butter, and whole grain bread.
Some experts are frustrated because food companies offer healthier versions of the same cereals in Canada and Europe. In U.S. schools, cereal has become healthier since 2010, when new federal nutrition rules took effect. These rules affect meals served to 14 million students each day. Stricter sugar limits will begin this summer, and even tighter standards are set for 2027.
Diane Pratt-Heavner, a spokeswoman for the School Nutrition Association, said food makers should offer these healthier versions in stores too.
“If we want kids to eat better at school,” she said, “we also want them to eat better at home.”
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