Toddler Formula is Not Breast Milk or Cow Milk Substitute: American Academy of Pediatrics

Consuming toddler milk is mostly based on misleading marketing by brands, and not supported by scientific studies.
A can of toddler nutritional drink sits on a shelf in a grocery store in Surfside, Fla., on June 17, 2022. Wilfredo Lee/AP Photo
Updated:
0:00

Toddler milk products are not substitutes for human breast milk or cow milk for infants, revealed a recent report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Toddler milk or Older Infant-Young Child Formula (OIYCF) is typically aimed at babies older than six to 12 months and below three years of age. It is different from infant formula, which is given to children up to 12 months. Toddler milk products are powdered mixes sold in cans and administered after mixing with water. In an Oct. 20 clinical report, AAP raised concerns about OIYCFs being pushed as a replacement for cow milk or breast milk.

Many consumers “mistakenly believe” that the benefits claimed by toddler milk are scientifically proven, the report said. For instance, some OIYCF products claim “improved brain development or immune function,” which end up influencing parents to think that these items are healthier than cow milk. The report cited a study that found that 60 percent of caregivers believed OIYCF offered nutrition, which the products never actually provided.

Story continues below advertisement

Besides not providing nutrition, the product contains added sugar and salt, leading to children developing a liking for such tastes, which could end up with the individual developing obesity or other related diseases.
Although facilities manufacturing infant formula are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, there are no such stringent regulations governing milk drink mixes for older babies and toddlers.
Besides, parents can be “misled” to understand that OIYCF is sufficiently beneficial for infants younger than 12 months “undermining breastfeeding or displacing infant formula by these non-recommended products.”

Impacts on Babies

AAP looked at two groups of infants—those below 12 months and those above 12 months. For babies below 12 months of age who are raised on formula, replacing the infant formula with OIYCF “has no essential role in providing micronutrients to this age group.”

Among infants above the age of 12 months, those who receive a diet of solid food containing sufficient quantities of iron and vitamins should continue doing so as “there is no advantage or need to consume OIYCFs,” the report stated.

Story continues below advertisement
Containers with breast milk. (Ernesto Benavides/AFP via Getty Images)
Containers with breast milk. Ernesto Benavides/AFP via Getty Images
“Products that are advertised as ‘follow-up formulas,’ ‘weaning formulas,’ or ’toddler milks and formulas,' are misleadingly promoted as a necessary part of a healthy child’s diet or, for those directed at young infants, equivalent to infant formula,” said lead author George J. Fuchs, III, according to an Oct.20 AAP press release.

“These drinks should not replace a balanced diet and are inferior to standard infant formula in children less than 12 months of age and offer no benefit over much less expensive cow’s milk in most children older than age 12 months.”

AAP warned that some OIYCF products “have been criticized as having elements considered to be unnecessary or potentially detrimental, including high or low protein, higher sodium content relative to cow milk, and added sweeteners, among others.”

Story continues below advertisement

The association recommended that children under 12 months be fed with human milk or standard infant formula as their liquid diet.

For children aged 12 months and above, AAP asked caregivers to provide “a varied diet with fortified foods to optimize nutritional intake.” While OIYCF may be offered, they “do not provide a nutritional advantage in most children over a well-balanced diet that includes human milk (preferred) and/or cow milk.”

Toddler Milk Marketing

The AAP report also highlighted issues with the marketing of toddler milk products. Between 2006 and 2015, the sales of infant formula by volume dropped by 7 percent, while that of OIYCF rose by over 158 percent.

This was associated with a “fourfold increase in OIYCFs advertising” while ad spending on infant formula dropped.

The marketing of such products is often based on “vague concerns parents have that their child is not getting some needed micronutrients and that these are uniquely provided by OIYCFs.”

Story continues below advertisement

“Advertisement practices for OIYCFs often convey them as a necessary ‘next stage’ or ‘next step’ to ensure optimal nutritional intake after infant formulas or even human milk,” the report said.

These products usually make “expert-recommended claims” on their packaging. However, such claims are not required to be based on scientific evidence or backed by the FDA, it stated.

AAP recommended that the marketing of OIYCF products should make a “clear” and “unambiguous” distinction that they are not comparable to standard infant formulas. Product names for any OIYCF item “should not be linked in any way to infant formula.”

Breast Milk Benefits

Responding to the new AAP report, a spokesperson for popular toddler formula brand Abbott Nutrition said to CNN, “National health studies indicate that U.S. toddlers have nutritional gaps in their diet often related to picky eating. When they don’t do well transitioning to table foods or won’t drink milk, our toddler drinks contain many of the complementary nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, that they may be missing in their diet. Toddler drinks may be an option to help fill nutrient gaps for these children 12 to 36 months of age. Abbott does not recommend or indicate its toddler drinks for infants under 12 months of age.”
A father and a mother look at their newborn son at the maternity of the Diaconesses hospital in Paris, on Nov. 17, 2020. (Martin Bureau/AFP via Getty Images)
A father and a mother look at their newborn son at the maternity of the Diaconesses hospital in Paris, on Nov. 17, 2020. Martin Bureau/AFP via Getty Images
Story continues below advertisement
Meanwhile AAP’s recommendation for breastfeeding infants is backed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for most infants. It can also reduce the risk for certain health conditions for both infants and mothers,” the agency states.

“Breastfed babies have a lower risk of asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Breastfed babies are also less likely to have ear infections and stomach bugs.”

Through breast milk, infants receive antibodies from the mother which helps them develop a strong immune system and protect from diseases, according to the CDC.

Naveen Athrappully
Naveen Athrappully
Author
Naveen Athrappully is a news reporter covering business and world events at The Epoch Times.
Related Topics