Abstract
Objective
Assess milk type provision (commercially prepared infant and toddler formula, cow's
milk, and plant milk) to infants and toddlers, accounting for sociodemographic characteristics
and marketing claims.
Participants
Caregivers (N = 1,645) of children (aged 6–36 months) recruited through online panels
in 2017.
Methods
Cross-sectional survey analysis (system of probit equations) estimated associations
between sociodemographics and agreement with marketing claims (independent variables)
with milk type provision in the past month (binary dependent variable).
Results
Most caregivers (63%) of infants (aged 6–11 months) provided only breastmilk and/or
commercially prepared infant formula. Sixty-five percent of caregivers of 12-month-old
infants provided commercially prepared infant formula, and 47% provided cow's milk.
Most caregivers (64%) of toddlers (aged 13–36 months) provided cow's milk; some also
provided other non-recommended milk types (51%).Associations between milk types suggested
milk-based drink provision should be evaluated as a pattern and not as independent
behaviors (all Ps < 0.048). Milk type provision was significantly associated with a child's age (months),
household income, and race (all Ps < 0.049). Including agreement with marketing claims reduced the significance of
associations between milk type provision and some sociodemographic characteristics.
Conclusions and Implications
These findings suggest the need for additional expert guidance to discourage inappropriate
and unnecessary milk for young children, provide strategies to transition from breastmilk
(or commercially prepared infant formula) to cow's milk, and conduct outreach to communities
at risk for health disparities about the dangers of serving milk that is not recommended
for their child's age. Research is needed to understand how diverse populations interpret
product claims and how marketing may perpetuate health disparities.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
May 12,
2021
Footnotes
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: The authors have not stated any conflicts of interest.
Identification
Copyright
© 2021 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior.
