U.S. infant formula needs an overhaul, but progress has been slow

More than half of U.S. babies rely on formula for 
nutrition for at least the first 6 months of life.

U.S. baby formula is currently under review by the Food and Drug Administration, an examination considered long overdue by many health professionals, nutrition experts and parents. The FDA plans to "release [its] study results in April examining contaminants in formula and suggested the current list of required nutrients is outdated," reports Sabrina Siddiqui of The Wall Street Journal. 

It's estimated that more than half of babies born in the U.S. rely on infant formula as their primary form of nutrition, with families that are lower income, of color, or rural more likely to use formula. 

 

Through the "Operation Stork Speed” initiative, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said he's making a U.S. baby formula overhaul a priority; however, supporters of formula changes believe the promised overhaul has been slow getting off the ground. Siddiqui writes, "Industry representatives and pediatric experts who have consulted. . . on the initiative say communication has slowed and visibility into the process has been limited."

Formulas fed to American babies today have come under scrutiny for containing seed oils, sugar, corn syrup, arsenic and heavy metals. Parent advocacy groups have often pushed for formula recipes to mirror those used in Europe.

But U.S. formula manufacturers defend their use of seed oils "because they provide key fats babies need to grow, including linoleic acid — a nutrient that is also found in breast milk and required in all formulas," Siddiqui explains. Many scientists and physicians contend that it would be difficult to replace seed oils, which are also used in European formulas, and have long been regarded as safe.