Study: Toddler formula is ‘unnecessary’; has no standard nutritional requirements

The American Academy of Pediatrics is telling parents they may not be doing what they think they are when they give toddlers a special formula to drink.

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The drinks aimed at toddlers are referred to as Older Infant and Young Child Formulas (OIYCFs), and are popular with parents.

OIYCFs are sometimes marketed as a “transitional” or “weaning” formula for infants who are 0 -12 months old, according to the new report. However, there are no standard nutritional requirements for toddler “formula,” the report says.

The study, published in the journal Public Health Nutrition, said that in addition to the drinks being nutritionally unnecessary, some have questionable marketing practices.

“Many parents mistakenly believe that OIYCFs offer something more, something unique that cow milk together with a varied diet with fortified foods can’t provide,” Dr. George Fuchs, professor of pediatrics and epidemiology at the University of Kentucky and lead author on the new AAP report, told ABC News. “This misconception can be largely attributed to the advertising and branding of these products.”

The AAP recommends babies drink infant formula or breastmilk until they are 12 months old and then transition to cow’s milk in addition to solid foods, which are typically introduced at about 6 months.

“Toddler formula is unnecessary for the vast majority of toddlers and its nutritional value is inferior to that of whole cow’s milk, especially when accounting for the additional sugar content of toddler formula,” Dr. Keyana Washington, a pediatrician with Gwinnett Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine in Georgia, who was not involved with the report, told ABC News.