Toddler formulas may be less healthy than cows milk, a new report claims : Shots

Many toddler milks contain added salt and sugar and less protein than cow’s milk, a new report finds.

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Toddler formulas, or toddler milks, are drinks and powdered mixes that are marketed for children from six months to three years of age. These products have been around for a while, but sales and advertising have jumped in recent years.

Now, a new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics warns that these beverages are not necessary and could be detrimental to children’s health.

Dr. George Fuchs, a pediatrician at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine is the lead author of the new report. He says toddler milks are often marketed as transitional or next-stage formulas for growing infants and toddlers, which he says is “misleading.”

That’s because, unlike infant formulas, toddler milks are not designed to meet all of a child’s nutritional needs in the first year of life.

“Infant formula is regulated by the FDA,” Fuchs points out. “They have to review and approve all infant formula sold in the U.S. That’s not the case for toddler drinks. They are entirely unregulated,” he says.

The marketing around toddler milks often touts added nutrients to boost brain development or support a healthy immune system. And that can lead parents to mistakenly believe that these products offer more nutrition than either breast milk or cow’s milk.

In fact, the AAP report notes that many of these drinks contain added salt and sugar and they have less protein than cow’s milk. And they cost significantly more.

“Toddler formulas are not only unnecessary,” Fuchs says. They could be bad for children’s health. “Drinks with added sugar can contribute to an increased…