Don ’t Fall for the Marketing. ‘Toddler Milk’ Is Not Good for Your Child

All parents want the best for their children, so they could be forgiven for thinking that infant nutrition brands prioritize the same. But then there’s toddler formula.  Toddler formulas, or toddler milks, are beverages often sold in the same product lines as infant formulas, framed as a sort of natural nutritional continuation for the 9-to-12-month-old being weaned off traditional infant formula or breast milk. Unlike infant formulas, however, toddler milk is unregulated in the U.S., and as a result is not required to meet the same nutritional standards. For years, it’s been an open secret among pediatric health experts that the toddler milk market has run wild with deceptive marketing and less-than-healthy formulations, but with sales growing, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released a formal call for regulatory action. The physician’s organization is hoping that their report, published on Oct. 20, will at minimum provide more education for caregivers. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Understanding toddler milk’s role in the market today, says Jennifer Pomeranz, an associate professor of public health policy and management at New York University, means looking back at the policies that laid the groundwork for its popularity. Since its invention, infant formula has been a good alternative for mothers who can’t breastfeed, though “there’s zero question that breast milk is better for an infant,&rdq...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized healthscienceclimate Source Type: news