Parents shouldn’t look to labels on the front of food packages for guidance on picking the healthiest products for their kids, according to a new Prevention Institute study, which found 84% of products examined didn’t meet basic nutritional standards. The study looked at the front-of-package labeling on 58 “Better-for-You” children’s products—those that manufacturers tout as their most nutritious.

The nutritional content was compared against nutritional criteria derived from the U.S. Dietary Guidelines and the National Academies of Science. In spite of the claims on the labels, study findings reveal: more than half (57%) of the study products qualified as high sugar, and 95% of products contained added sugar; more than half (53%) were low in fiber; more than half (53%) of products did not contain any fruits or vegetables (of the fruits and vegetables found, half came from just two ingredients: tomatoes and corn); 24% of prepared foods were high in saturated fats; and more than one-third (36%) of prepared foods and meals were high in sodium.

“We did the study because we want to be sure that what parents see is what they get,” said study author and nutritionist, Juliet Sims. “The results shocked us. More often than not, companies are telling parents food is healthy when it’s not.”

To answer calls for more and better nutrition information, U.S. food and beverage manufacturers and retailers have launched Nutrition Keys, a voluntary front-of-pack nutrition labeling system designed to help consumers make informed choices. The Nutrition Keys program will change the look of the vast majority of the country’s most popular food and beverage products by placing important nutrition information (calories, saturated fat, sodium and total sugars content) on the front of packages.

To appeal to busy consumers, the information will be presented in a fact-based, simple and easy-to-use format. The icon will inform consumers about how the key nutrients in each product fit into a balanced and healthy diet as part of the federal government’s daily dietary advice. In addition, the Nutrition Keys icon on some products will display information about “nutrients to encourage” that are important for a healthy diet, but are generally under-consumed. Nutrients to encourage that may appear on some products as part of the Nutrition Keys icon include: vitamins A, C and D, potassium, fiber, calcium, iron and protein. Companies will begin to place the icon on their products in 2011, according to seasonality and production schedules.

In other health news, a new review of energy drink consumption among children, adolescents and young adults has been published in the journal Pediatrics. The review concluded that long-term research should aim to understand the effects in at-risk populations and better regulate energy drink sales. In the short-term, the authors wrote, pediatricians need to be aware of the possible effects of energy drinks in vulnerable populations and screen for consumption to educate families. According to self-report surveys, energy drinks are consumed by 30% to 50% of adolescents and young adults. Frequently containing high and unregulated amounts of caffeine, these drinks have been reported in association with serious adverse effects, especially in children, adolescents and young adults with seizures, diabetes, cardiac abnormalities or mood and behavioral disorders, or those who take certain medications. Of the 5448 U.S. caffeine overdoses reported in 2007, 46% occurred in those younger than 19 years of age. Several countries and states have debated or restricted their sales and advertising.

At the same time, energy shots continue to grow in popularity as companies exploit still untapped opportunities, according to “10 Key Trends in Food, Nutrition & Health 2011,” written by Julian Mellentin of New Nutrition Business who says 2011 promises to be another “year of the energy shot.” Rapid success of energy shots, a market that has grown to more than $1 billion in retail sales, reflects the extent to which there are huge areas of untapped opportunities in products for energy, he said. “There are opportunities to create new brands, new segments and new categories through strategies focusing on groups of consumers who aren’t served by the energy drink brands currently available.”

Other opportunities, he pointed out, include new ingredients with a higher “natural and healthy” score, as well as new carriers—other than caffeinated beverages—with better health credentials, such as dairy and fruit juices.