Abstract
Mothers’ own milk is the best source of nutrition for nearly all infants. Beyond somatic growth, breast milk as a biologic fluid has a variety of other benefits, including modulation of postnatal intestinal function, immune ontogeny, and brain development. Although breastfeeding is highly recommended, breastfeeding may not always be possible, suitable or solely adequate. Infant formula is an industrially produced substitute for infant consumption. Infant formula attempts to mimic the nutritional composition of breast milk as closely as possible, and is based on cow’s milk or soymilk. A number of alternatives to cow’s milk-based formula also exist. In this article, we review the nutritional information of breast milk and infant formulas for better understanding of the importance of breastfeeding and the uses of infant formula from birth to 12 months of age when a substitute form of nutrition is required.
Highlights
Mothers’ own milk is considered to be the best source of infant nutrition [1]
In the United States, only 75% of infants initiate breastfeeding from birth; by the age of three months, 67%, or 2.7 million, of them rely on infant formula for some portion of their nutrition [6]
The recently updated FDA (Food and Drug Administration) rule on current Good Manufacturing Practices for infant formula, 21 CFR 106.96 [6], requires, among other things, that formulas satisfy the quality factors of normal physical growth and a sufficient biological quality of protein component
Summary
Mothers’ own milk is considered to be the best source of infant nutrition [1]. Extensive evidence has shown that breast milk contains a variety of bioactive agents that modify the function of the gastrointestinal tract and the immune system, as well as in brain development. The World Health Organization recommends that infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six month of life [3]. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics reaffirms and updates their mission that exclusive breastfeeding provides optimal nutrition and health protection for the first six months of life, and that breastfeeding with complementary foods from six months until at least 12 months of age is the ideal feeding pattern for infants [1]. In the United States, only 75% of infants initiate breastfeeding from birth; by the age of three months, 67%, or 2.7 million, of them rely on infant formula for some portion of their nutrition [6]. The purpose of this article is to review nutritional information on breast milk and infant formulas to reinforce the importance of breastfeeding, while understanding the uses of infant formula
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