MANCHESTER, N.H. —

You might already know that sugary cereal isn't exactly a healthy food, but a recent study finds that breakfast cereals marketed to children may be getting even worse – sweeter, saltier and less nutritious.

The study took a close look at breakfast cereals newly launched between 2010 and 2023 that were geared to children ages 5 to 12. Over that time, the fat, sodium and sugar content trended higher, while some of the good stuff like protein and fiber dropped.

When it comes to sugar, the numbers really jump out. On average, a single serving of cereal packed nearly three teaspoons of sugar. According to the study authors, that's about 45% of the maximum daily added sugar recommended by the American Heart Association for children.

Consumer Reports has advice on how to ch

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