A feature on AOL is that you can request any news story to be emailed to you
with any given keyword. I automatically get any newswire story emailed to me
w/ the words breastmilk or breastfeeding in it. (Just in case anyone
wondered.) So here is what was in today's news:
Christine in Ohio
New Dietary Recommendations For Infants
National Academy of Sciences Recommends Daily Intake of Fatty Acids
EVANSVILLE, Ind., Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time, the National
Academies' Institute of Medicine (IOM) has recommended a daily intake of
specific polyunsaturated fatty acids for infants for the U.S. and Canada. One
of these fatty acids - known as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) - was called out
in the new IOM report for its beneficial role in supporting brain and retina
development in infants.
Found naturally in breast milk, DHA, along with another polyunsaturated fatty
acid called ARA (arachidonic acid), are important building blocks of a baby's
brain and eyes. Only one term infant formula in the United States -
Enfamil(R) LIPIL(R) with Iron - contains DHA and ARA at levels clinically
shown to benefit mental and visual development when compared to the same
formula without these fatty acids. LIPIL is Enfamil's unique blend of DHA
and ARA.
"This really is a landmark report that provides important guidelines for
fatty acids in an infant's diet," said Dr. Jon Vanderhoof, VP of Global
Medical Affairs for Mead Johnson Nutritionals. "There is an accumulated body
of scientific and clinical evidence over the past 15 years that has lead us
to firmly believe that DHA and ARA are critical to the growth and development
of infants. We are committed to helping infants get off to the right start
nutritionally which is why we introduced Enfamil LIPIL with Iron, Enfamil
Premature LIPIL and Enfamil EnfaCare(R) LIPIL. These new recommendations
further support the importance of these fatty acids in an infant's diet."
A Boost for Babies
Throughout pregnancy, a growing baby will receive DHA and ARA from the
mother, particularly during the last trimester when there is significant
brain growth. A mother also provides these nutrients to her baby in breast
milk. But until Enfamil LIPIL was first introduced this year, there had never
been an infant formula in the United States that contained DHA and ARA - two
nutrients that just received even greater prominence with the release of the
new IOM report.
While several expert panels convened by international organizations such as
the World Health Organization and Child Health Foundation have recommended
the addition of DHA and ARA to infant formula if infants do not breastfeed,
this is the first time that the Institute of Medicine has established
recommendations for these types of fatty acids for the U.S. and Canada.
The new "Adequate Intake" recommendations for infants are based on the amount
of the fatty acids found naturally in breast milk. The fatty acid levels in
Enfamil LIPIL are comparable to the mid-range of global averages found in
breast milk.
Breast is Best
"Breastfeeding is unequivocally the best form of nutrition for infants," said
Dr. Alan Greene, MD, FAAP, a practicing pediatrician and attending physician
at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford University and spokesperson
for Mead Johnson & Company. "However, most infants in the U.S. are fed some
infant formula within the first year, so the type of infant formula selected
is critically important." He added that the goal for infant formula is to
match as closely as possible the composition of human breast milk, and
Enfamil LIPIL comes closer than ever before because it's enriched with DHA
and ARA.
Breast milk in the U.S. tends to be lower in DHA because our diets are often
low in good DHA sources like fatty fish. A breastfeeding mom can help
increase levels of DHA in her breast milk by consuming eggs and fish like
salmon, tuna and sardines, or by taking DHA dietary supplements.
"There is a growing body of evidence that clearly points to the visual and
mental development benefits of DHA and ARA at the levels contained in Enfamil
LIPIL," said Dr. Greene. "As the data continue to build, other medical and
public health organizations will hopefully follow the IOM's lead and issue
recommendations regarding infant intake of these important nutrients."
Enfamil LIPIL infant formula is manufactured by Mead Johnson Nutritionals, a
world leader in nutrition, recognized for developing and marketing high
quality products that meet the nutritional needs of children and adults of
all ages. Mead Johnson Nutritionals is a Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.
For more information on DHA or ARA and the potential benefits of Enfamil
LIPIL, parents can visit www.enfamil.com , call 1-800-BABY-123, or talk with
your health care professional.
Source: Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat,
Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein and Amino Acids. www.nationalacademies.org.
MAKE YOUR OPINION COUNT - Click Here
http://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X63313668
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