Infant Feeding in the 20th Century: Formula and Beikost

Abstract

The early years of the 20th century were notable for improvements in general sanitation, dairying practices and milk handling. Most infants were breast-fed, often with some formula feeding as well. Availability of the home icebox permitted safe storage of milk and infant formula, and by the 1920s, feeding of orange juice and cod liver oil greatly decreased the incidence of scurvy and rickets. Use of evaporated milk for formula preparation decreased bacterial contamination and curd tension of infant formulas. From 1930 through the 1960s, breastfeeding declined and cow's milk and beikost were introduced into the diet at earlier and earlier ages. Although commercially prepared formulas, including iron-fortified formulas replaced home-prepared formulas, few infants were breast-fed or formula fed after 4 -6 mo of age. Iron deficiency was prevalent. From 1970 through 1999, a resurgence of breast-feeding was associated with a prolongation of formula feeding and an increase in usage of iron-fortified formulas. By the end of the century, formula feeding of older infants had largely replaced feeding of fresh cow's milk and the prevalence of iron deficiency had greatly decreased. J. Nutr. 131: 409S-420S, 2001.

Evidence of Oxidative Stress in Full-Term Healthy Infants

“…Full-term healthy breast-fed infants are routinely given vitamin K supplements at birth, and vitamin D supplements during infancy (36). Indeed it was once common to give vitamin D as part of a multivitamin solution containing vitamin A (an antioxidant) as well as vitamin K (Michael Moffatt, personal communication).…”

Scientific Opinion on nutrient requirements and dietary intakes of infants and young children in the European Union

“…Vitamin C in aqueous solution readily scavenges reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, as well as singlet oxygen and hypochlorite, and is part of the antioxidant network of the body (EFSA NDA Panel, 2013c). Frank vitamin C deficiency in children leads to scurvy but has been observed only after the sixth month of life in infants fed a diet consisting of cow's milk with no fruits and vegetables (Fomon, 2001). …”

Epidemiologia nutricional

“…Menor quantidade de sódio no leite materno Como a ingestão de sódio está diretamente relacionada com a pressão arterial (Brunner et al, 2005) e até o final do século passado a quantidade de sódio no leite materno era muito menor do que aquela encontrada na maioria das fórmulas (Fomon, 2001), tem-se sugerido que a menor quantidade de sódio no leite materno programaria o indivíduo para ter menor pressão arterial na idade adulta. Contudo, as evidências a respeito de um efeito a longo prazo da ingestão de sal sobre a pressão arterial são controversas.…”