Fortified milks documents significant reduction of morbidity in young children

Citation

(2007), "Fortified milks documents significant reduction of morbidity in young children", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 37 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2007.01737bab.011

Fortified milks documents significant reduction of morbidity in young children

New research published in the British Medical Journal indicates that fortified milks, such as follow-on formulas, growing up milks or toddler milks, may significantly reduce childhood morbidity in developing countries. Researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Centre for Micronutrient Research at Annamalai University in India have concluded in a study published 28 November, in the online version of the British Medical Journal, that consumption of milk fortified with specific micronutrients significantly reduces the incidence of diarrhea and acute lower respiratory illness among children in peri-urban India. The milk, fortified with zinc, iron, selenium, copper, vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E, reduced the incidence as well as the number of days with severe illness.

Thirty per cent of the world's population is affected by vitamin A, iron or iodine deficiency. Additionally, deficiencies in zinc, calcium, folic acid and other vitamins are widely prevalent in developing countries. Further, both iron and iodine deficiencies have a negative impact on psychomotor development of children, which may be permanent if not corrected early in life. Thus, micronutrient malnutrition poses a serious threat to health status of infants and young children. The results of the current study suggest that it was the micronutrient fortification that was responsible for the positive effects, as the comparison group was provided unfortified milk.

"Some micronutrients have a crucial role in generation, maintenance and amplification of immune responses in the body. Deficiencies in multiple micronutrients among preschool children are an important determinant of child health in developing countries", said Sunil Sazawal, MD, MPH, PhD, lead author of the study and an associate professor in the Bloomberg School of Public Health's Department of International Health.

Fortified milks, which are commonly used internationally, are usually fed to young children over one year old to improve their diets and assure nutritional adequacy. This recent study evaluated children between one and three years old.

The use of fortified milk to deliver needed micronutrients was in keeping with the World Health Organization's Global Strategy on Infant and Young Child Feeding that states, "Industrially processed complementary foods also provide an option for some mothers who have the means to buy them and the knowledge and facilities to prepare and feed them safely". Additionally, fortified milks and formulas for older infants and young children provide milk protein, and in the case of formulas, fats that have been selected to provide recommended levels of fatty acids.

"There is an urgent need to develop and implement strategies to reduce the burden of micronutrient deficiencies in the developing world", says Robert E. Black, MD, MPH, co-author of the study and professor and chair of the Bloomberg School's Department of International Health. "Our results suggest that micronutrients can be delivered successfully through fortified milk, which is also a well-accepted delivery method in these communities".

Mardi Mountford, Executive Vice President of International Formula Council, echoes Black's statement: "The findings support a role for follow-on formulas and growing up milks to significantly reduce the morbidity in the developing world".

The International Formula Council is an association of manufacturers and marketers of formulated nutrition products, e.g. infant formulas and adult nutritionals, whose members are based predominantly in North America. IFC members are: Mead Johnson Nutritionals; Nestle Nutrition – Nestle USA, Inc.; Abbott's Ross Products Division; Solus Products and Wyeth Nutrition.

Marisa Salcines, +00-1-404-252-3663, for International Formula Council.