Infant Formula

Fewer parents are introducing their infants to complementary foods earlier than recommended, but according to recent data, some racial and socioeconomic groups are more likely to introduce their babies to solid food before age 4 months.

For a long time, the only infant formula options available in the United States were cow’s milk-based, soy milk-based or specialty infant formulas.

Last week, health professionals met at the AAP National Conference & Exhibition for the latest updates in pediatric health care.

Urinary markers indicated that infants who were fed soy-based formulas had better bone metabolism at 6 months than those fed breast milk or dairy-based infant formula, according to research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The FDA announced additional measures for making infant formula more available following prior guidance which increased importation flexibilities.

Abbott Nutrition restarted production of infant formulas at a Michigan plant that was shut down for months after the company initiated a recall of its powder formulas, beginning the country’s ongoing formula shortage.

The FDA and Abbott Nutrition released details of a deal this week that could lead to the reopening of an infant formula plant that was closed earlier this year amid a recall related to bacterial contamination.

Infants who begin drinking infant formula at age 4 to 6 months have lower risk for overweight at ages 1 and 3 years compared with those who begin drinking formula within the first 3 months of life, according to a speaker.

Cholesterol increases significantly in infants during the first year of life; however, high-sugar formula feeding vs. breastfeeding may be associated with dyslipidemia later in life, researchers wrote in the European Heart Journal.

HOUSTON — Children delivered vaginally and those who were breastfeed had lower odds of developing allergies, according to study results presented at the American College of Asthma, Allergy & Immunology Scientific Meeting.