Overview of Infant and Pediatric Formulas

Abstract

Because every child has individual needs, there are a variety of infant and pediatric formulas from which to choose. Not only are there several categories of formulas including milk protein-based, soy protein-based, hydrolyzed protein, and amino acid-based, but there are differences between products within each category. Research is being done in the area of formula design for the prevention or treatment of disease. In this article, the authors review types of formulas and their indications for use for infants and children, and review current literature on formula trends.

The basics of prescribing infant formulas

“…13 ESPGHAN supports the addition of nucleotides to infant formula, provided that they do not exceed the maximum allowed amount of 5 mg/100 kcal. 2,13,14 …”

“…Pre-thickened formula is nutritionally safe, and contains adequate amounts of the necessary nutrients. 1,14,25,26 Follow-on milk for infants aged six to 12 months…”

The basics of prescribing infant formulas

“…Pre-thickened formula is nutritionally safe, and contains adequate amounts of the necessary nutrients. 1,14,25,26 Follow-on milk for infants aged six to 12 months Giving follow-on milk was deemed "not necessary" by the World Health Assembly. The United Nations Children's Fund's (UNICEF) position is that parents can continue to give first milk until an infant reaches 12 months of age.…”

Digestibility and structural changes of ingredients in infant formulae during the gastrointestinal digestion

“…Soy-based infant formula contains protein from plant (soybean), used for babies suffering from galactosemia (cow's milk protein intolerance) or lactose intolerance (Joeckel & Phillips, 2009;Thompkinson and Kharb, 2007). However, proteins from soybean are not easy to digest due to the structure of soy protein and heat treatment effects.…”

“…Lipids in mother's milk and formulas provide nearly half of the total energy to babies. The lipids contain n-6 and n-3 fatty acids such as linoleic acid (C18:2, n-6) and α-linoleic acid (C18:3, n-3) that are essential for infant brain and eye development (Hermoso et al, 2010;Joeckel & Phillips, 2009). The activity of digestive lipases in infants is lower compared to adults, but infants have three to five times higher lipid intake per kilogram of bodyweight (Andersson, Hernell, Bläckberg, Fält, & Lindquist, 2011).…”