Powdered drink mixes widely promoted as “toddler milks” for older babies and children up to age 3 are unregulated, unnecessary and “nutritionally incomplete,” the American Academy of Pediatrics warned Friday.
The drinks, which are marketed to parents on TikTok, in TV ads and elsewhere, often contain added sugar and salt.
Manufacturers make unproven claims that the drinks boost children’s brains or immune systems, said Dr. George Fuchs, a member of the AAP nutrition committee, which published the new report.
Formula industry officials said the drinks could be useful in filling “nutritional gaps” in children’s diets. But Fuchs said older babies and toddlers should receive a balanced diet of solid foods, plus drink breast milk, fortified whole cow’s milk and water after one year of age.
This is what you should know about so-called milk for young children:
WHAT ARE “CHILDREN’S MILKS”?
Powdered milk mixtures are sold in cans and are prepared to be mixed with water. They are often produced by the manufacturers of top brands of infant formula, packaged with similar labels, and sold in the same store aisles.
Products are typically marketed to older infants 6 to 12 months and preschool children up to 3 years old as nutritious drinks for the next stage of development.
Pediatricians are issuing a warning about so-called “toddler drinks,” which they say often contain added sugar and salt.Wilfredo Lee/AP
ARE THEY DIFFERENT THAN REGULAR BABY FORMULA?
Yes. Infant formula is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and must meet certain nutritional requirements as a breast milk substitute for babies up to 12 months. The facilities where infant formulas are manufactured are inspected periodically.
There are no federal regulations governing dairy drink mixes for older infants and toddlers.
Additionally, toddler drinks are different than medical formulas prescribed for specific conditions, such as heart disease or problems digesting certain foods.
WHY ARE HEALTH EXPERTS WORRIED?
Fuchs and other experts point to the lack of common standards for toddler formulas, which means ingredients vary widely among brands.
Most contain added sugar and are aimed at children who are at the age where they could develop a lasting taste for sweets, possibly leading to obesity and other diseases.
“You could call it the gateway sugary drink,” said Frances Fleming-Milici, director of marketing initiatives and research professor at the University of Connecticut’s Rudd Center for Food and Health Policy.
Toddler formulas are also more expensive than cow’s milk, experts say.
“Not only are they not as good as cow’s milk and a balanced diet, they are worse,” said Fuchs, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Kentucky.
There are no federal regulations governing dairy drink mixes for older infants and toddlers. AP
WHAT ABOUT MARKETING?
Toddler formulas are widely advertised and sales have skyrocketed in recent years, from $39 million in 2006 to $92 million in 2015, according to a 2020 study.
Fleming-Milici said companies promote these products in a way that can lead parents to believe the drinks are nutritionally necessary.
“They look a lot like infant formula,” he said. “Parents really trust the formula they use for their children.”
In one study, 60% of caregivers of young children said they believed drinks provided nutrition that children would not get from other foods.
WHAT DO COMPANIES SAY?
Toddler milks are explicitly labeled for children older than 12 months and “can contribute to nutritional intake and potentially fill nutritional gaps,” according to the Infant Nutrition Council of America. Members of the trade group are leading manufacturers of toddler formulas and beverages, including Abbott Nutrition, Perrigo Nutrition and Reckitt.
According to experts, toddler milk is more expensive than cow’s milk.
WHAT SHOULD FAMILIES DO?
Families and health care providers should be better educated about infant formulas, which “do not have a specific role in the routine care of healthy children,” the AAP said.
The group also wants requirements to ensure products are not linked to regulated infant formulas or sold alongside formulas. A health group asked the FDA in 2020 to regulate infant formulas, but the agency is still reviewing the request.
Families who want to ensure that older babies and toddlers get the nutrition they need should rely on fortified cereals and milks, proteins, fruits and vegetables, Fuchs said.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Scientific and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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