Abstract
The consumption of young children formula (YCF) is associated with reduced risk of inadequacies of nutrients that are frequently lacking in the diets of young children. In this study, we assessed the role of YCF in children’s diets and whether meeting dairy intake recommendations would improve nutrient intake in young Chinese children aged 12–36 months. Dietary intake data for children from the 2012 China Maternal and Infant Nutrition and Growth study were analyzed (n = 910). Nutrient intake was compared between YCF consumers and non-consumers, and the theoretical impact of meeting dairy intake recommendations by adding cow’s milk or YCF to children’s diets was assessed using diet modelling. The percent of children consuming YCF was 64.5% and was positively associated with family income and mother’s education level. Compared to non-consumers, YCF consumers had higher intakes of minerals (e.g., calcium, iron) and vitamins (e.g., C, D, B6) that are important for growth and immune function, and lower intakes of saturated fat. To meet dairy intake recommendations by adding either cow’s milk or YCF to children’s diets would improve intakes of vitamins and minerals in young Chinese children. YCF consumption contributes to the improvement of nutrient intakes in children aged 12–36 months in China.
Highlights
Young children formulas (YCF), called follow-up formulas (FUF) [1] or growing up milk (GUM) [2], are milk-based formulas intended to partially satisfy the nutritional requirements of young children [3,4]
The prevalence of children consuming YCF was more than 70% in younger (12–23 months) and 55% in older (24–36 months) age groups
Since there could be more children consuming cow’s milk in the YCF non-consumer group, the difference between YCF consumers and non-consumers could be bigger than the results showed in the present study
Summary
Young children formulas (YCF), called follow-up formulas (FUF) [1] or growing up milk (GUM) [2], are milk-based formulas intended to partially satisfy the nutritional requirements of young children [3,4]. We reported previously that 50%–70% of children aged 1–3 years consumed YCF in China [5] and it provided. Li et al found that YCF was a major contributor to energy and nutrient intakes in 7- to 24-month-old children in China [7]. Vandenplasall and colleagues reviewed publications between 1990 and 2014, and concluded that in all publications reviewed, YCF helped to cover nutritional requirements of 12- to 36-month-old children [8]. It has been reported that in Mexico, more than 86% of children aged 1–3 years consumed cow’s milk on any given day [9], providing 10%–13% of daily energy [10]. In China, cow’s milk provided only 4%–5% of daily energy intake due to a low percent of consumption, especially among children aged 1–2 years [5,6]
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