I am just getting cynical or does this sound like Mead Johnson trying to
make more money by determining that hydrolyzed formulas are better for
babies of diabetic mothers.  Mead Johnson is supplying all the formula for
the study. How much will the staff really work to help all the mothers
breastfeed exclusively to 6 months? Of course right on the first page of
the website that is soliciting parents to join the study is the statement
that often diabetic mothers can't sustain exclusive breastfeeding for
medical reasons.  With that idea planted in the parents minds before they
even start the study will it be much of a surprise that most of them will
want to try that special formula?

From: http://www.trigr.org/

"This study is designed not to interfere with infant feeding practices,
except to emphasize and encourage breastfeeding. All mothers who
participate in TRIGR will be counseled and supported to exclusively
breastfeed their babies for at least the first six months of life in
accordance with the World Health Organization 2001 recommendation based on
the benefits of breastfeeding for this time period
(http://www.who.int/child-adolescent-
health/New_Publications/NUTRITION/WHO_CAH_01_24.pdf). However, one problem
often encountered by mothers that have type 1 diabetes themselves is that
exclusive breastfeeding can not be sustained for medical reasons.

The TRIGR trial will determine whether delayed exposure to intact food
proteins will reduce the chances of developing type 1 diabetes later in
life. All babies in the study receive the recommendation to breastfeed for
at least the first six months of life. If a mother is unable to exclusively
breastfeed before the baby is 8 months of age, her child will be randomly
assigned to one of two groups. One group of these babies will receive
breastfeeding supplements of a trial formula based on extensively
hydrolyzed protein; the other group will receive a special trial formula
containing a smaller amount of hydrolyzed protein. In hydrolyzed protein,
the big protein molecules have been split into very small fragments to
provide a source of nutritional amino acids, but the fragments are likely
too small to stimulate the immune system.

All TRIGR families will have access and continued support by a local team
of pediatricians, nurse and dieticians. Perhaps because of this support and
the information provided, more mothers were able to exclusively breastfeed
for significantly longer periods than expected in the nationwide Finnish
TRIGR pilot study. This effort developed and tested the complex
infrastructure required for a very large disease prevention trial such as
TRIGR. The trial will also be able to analyze whether, as expected,
exclusive breastfeeding can also reduce the risk to children of developing
type 1 diabetes."

Any thoughts?

Janet Vandenberg RN, BScN, IBCLC
Ontario, Canada

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