Milk Formula Group Research Articles

Bioavailability of cadmium from infant diets in newborn rats.

Infants are exposed to higher levels of cadmium (Cd) from infant and follow-on formulas than from breast milk. We studied the bioavailability of 109CdCl2 from cows' milk formula, soy formula, wheat/oat/milk formula, wholemeal/milk formula and water in 11-day-old rat pups. The pups received a single oral dose of one diet labelled with 109Cd, 0.1 or 0.3 mg Cd/kg body weight. After 2 or 24 h or 4, 9 or 12 days the fractional retention of 109Cd in the whole body, in segments of rinsed small intestine and in tissue was measured in a gamma counter. Pups receiving 109Cd in water or cows' milk formula had the highest mean whole-body retention. It ranged from 67% of the dose in the water group to 52% in the wholemeal/milk formula group 4 days after dosing. The retention of 109Cd in the rinsed small intestine was significantly higher in the water group and the cows' milk formula group than in the cereal-based formula groups at 24 h and 4 days after dosing. It was still high in all groups on day 9, ranging from 26 to 11%. Initially most of the 109Cd was retained in the duodenum but by day 4 it had moved further down into the jejunum. In the liver, the highest and lowest retention on day 4 was 16%, and 3 per thousand of the dose in the water group and wholemeal/milk formula group, respectively. In the kidney, 109Cd was still increasing 12 days after exposure in all groups. Whole-body retention and tissue levels were higher than previously reported in adult animals. The lower bioavailability of 109Cd from the cereal-based formulas compared to water and cows milk formula on the longer survival times is most likely explained by Cd binding to dietary fibre and phytic acid in the cereal-based formulas reducing the intestinal binding and decreasing the bioavailability of Cd. The high retention of 109Cd in the small intestine, leading to a prolonged absorption period, emphasizes the importance of extending studies on neonatal Cd absorption over a long time period in order to detect for example, endpoints, accumulation of Cd in the kidney.

Controlled trials investigating the use of one partially hydrolyzed whey formula for dietary prevention of atopic manifestations until 60 months of age: An overview using meta-analytical techniques

As much as 30% of the pediatric population is reported to be affected by atopic symptoms, at least temporarily. Therefore, efforts at prevention at an early age are of paramount importance. A meta-analysis was undertaken with the aim of combining the results of 15 prospective, controlled trials which measure the effect of exclusive feeding (minimum of three months) of a moderately hydrolyzed whey formula (Nestlé HA formula) on the development of atopic symptoms between 3–6 and 60 months of age in children at high risk for allergy. Odds ratios, statistical methods of meta-analysis (Mantel-Haenszel, Bayesian approach), and “the number needed to treat” analysis at specific time intervals are reported. The meta-analysis of clinical data at 3–6 months of age indicates that the proportion of infants developing atopic symptoms when fed with HA is about one-fourth of the proportion of those fed with the standard cow milk formula (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.18–0.36). For the 12 months data, the proportion with HA is about one-third of the proportion in the cow milk formula group (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.19–0.44). The odds ratios between 12–24 and 60 months of age also showed a significant influence of the HA formula. No significant differences were found when the HA group was compared with breastfed infants. Computation of the “number needed to treat” resulted in an estimate that feeding three to five high risk infants HA formula rather than cow milk formula, will protect one infant from atopic symptoms. Breastfeeding or exclusive feeding of a moderately hydrolyzed formula (Nestlé HA formula) for at least three months in infants at high risk for the development of allergic disease, decreases the incidence of atopic manifestations until 60 months of age.

Whey hydrolysate compared with cow's milk‐based formula for weaning at about 6 months of age in high allergy‐risk infants: effects on atopic disease and sensitization

Ninety-one high atopy-risk infants were prospectively followed up to 18 months of age with regard to the development of allergic/atopic manifestations and sensitization. They were randomized into one of two feeding groups, i.e., a hydrolyzed, ultrafiltered cow's milk whey formula, Profylac (n = 32), or an ordinary cow's milk formula (n = 39), for 12 months, started after exclusive breast-feeding for 0-9 (median 6.0) months. Lactating mothers avoided milk, egg, and fish, as did the infants up to 12 months of age. Twenty of the 91 infants were breast-fed exclusively for more than 9 months and regarded as a control group. All infants were followed-up by questionnaires, physical examinations, skin prick tests, and determination of serum total IgE and cow' milk-specific IgE. The frequency of allergic/atopic disease was similar in the three groups. However, all three infants who developed cow's milk allergy with skin symptoms belonged to the cow's milk formula group. The skin prick test with whey hydrolysate was negative in all, while with cow's milk it was positive in eight infants. Growth was similar in the three groups. The study comprises too few infants to allow us to make statistically based statements. However, the difficulties encountered and the limited effects obtained by the use of whey hydrolysate at weaning at about 6 months of age made us conclude that we can spare high atopy-risk families this extra burden.

The Effect of Feeding Four Different Formulae on Stool Weights in Prolonged Dehydrating Infantile Gastroenteritis

SummaryProlonged diarrhea following an acute episode of dehydrating gastroenteritis in infants is often treated by the empirical removal of both cow's milk protein and lactose from the feed, as they both have been implicated in the prolongation of diarrhea. In order to assess the efficacy of this policy and to determine whether there are any advantages in using a lactose‐free semi‐elemental feed in this situation, infants with prolonged dehydrating gastroenteritis from a developing community in South Africa were studied. Male black children between the ages of 6 weeks and 2 years with prolonged dehydrating gastroenteritis (requiring intravenous fluids for longer than 72 h to maintain hydration) were randomly assigned to receive one of four feeds if the stool weight was greater than 30 g/kg body weight/24 h on the fourth day of admission. The four formula feeds were a partially modified cow's milk formula; a lactose‐free, casein‐containing formula; a lactose‐free, soy‐protein‐containing formula; and a lactose‐free, whey‐hydrolysate‐containing formula. Stool weights were measured for the following 3 days. Seventy‐two children were enrolled into the study. Stool weights were similar in the four groups at the start of the trial, and fell significantly over the trial period in those groups receiving the lactose‐free feeds. Mean stool weight in the cow's milk formula group did not change. Thus, it appears that the continued feeding of a cow's milk‐based lactose‐containing formulae to infants with prolonged dehydrating gastroenteritis adversely affects their recovery. Whether the responsible factor was the presence of lactose or a fraction of cow's milk protein could not be determined in this study. Furthermore, the use of a semi‐elemental feed does not appear to have any advantages over the cheaper lactose‐free formulae in this situation.

Breast milk feeding in very low birthweight infants.

The infant feeding practices of 77 very low birthweight (VLBW) survivors with birthweights under 1500 g were studied. 58 (75%) infants received fresh expressed breastmilk from their own mothers of whom 42 were successfully breastfed at a medium postconceptual age of 36 weeks. Overall incidence of breastfeeding in the VLBW population was 44% at 3 months and 23% at 6 months. The postnatal ages at which breastfeeding stopped ranged from 2-28 months (median 4 months). No significant differences in perinatal factors were found between the breastmilk and milk formula groups. There were significantly more mothers in the breastmilk group who were given advice and encouragement during their pregnancies on breastfeeding and who had planned in the antenatal period to breastfeed their infants. The most common reasons given for deciding against providing breastmilk were related to extreme prematurity of the infant. Nursery weight gain of infants fed breastmilk and milk formula were similar. Necrotizing enterocolitis occurred significantly less frequently in the breastmilk group. The study suggested that the special attention and positive encouragement given to parents of VLBW infants had contributed to the successful establishment and continuation of a feeding regime utilizing fresh breastmilk from the infants own mother which is believed to have immunological psychological and nutritional benefits in this high-risk infant population. (authors)