68% of white mothers breastfed their infants for a
short time after birth; 31% were breastfeeding at 6
months; 17% at 12 months.
Healthy People 2010, the health goals set for
Americans during the first decade of the twenty-
first century, include eliminating the differences
among racial groups in the rate of breastfeeding.
The goal for 2010 is for 75% of all women to be
breastfeeding shortly after birth, 50% to be breast-
feeding at 6 months, and 25% to breastfeed for a
full year.ADVANTAGES OF BREASTFEEDING.Research com-
paring formula-fed and breastfed babies convincingly
shows that both full-term and premature breastfed
infants have certain advantages over formula fed infants.
One of the most important advantages conferred by
breast milk is an increased resistance to infection.
An infant is born with an immature immune sys-
tem that does not become fully functional for about
two years. Since immune system cells makes antibod-
ies to fight infection, an incompletely developed
immune system leaves the infant vulnerable to many
bacterial and viral infections. However, the nursing
mother has a fully developed immune system, and
many of the antibodies and other components of her
immune system pass into her breast milk. Nursing
infants take in their mother’s antibodies along with
the other nutrients in breast milk. These antibodies
survive passage through the infant’s digestive system
and are absorbed into the infant’s blood, where they
help protect against infection. Well-designed studies
have repeatedly documented the fact that breastfed
babies have fewer ear infections, bouts of diarrhea,
respiratory infections, and cases of meningitis than
formula-fed babies. Overall, the death rate of breast-
feed babies during the first year of life is lower than the
death rate of formula-fed babies.
Another way that breastfeeding protects against
infection is by keeping the infant from being exposed
to waterborne contaminants. In developing countries,
manywatersupplies are contaminated with bacteria
and chemicals. Using this water to mix formula
increases the exposure of the baby to these pathogens
and toxins. Breastfed babies do not have to worry
about being exposed to this type of contamination.
Another advantage of breastfeeding is that infants
are unlikely to gain too much weight.Childhood obe-
sityis a major concern in the United States. Since
mothers are unable to measure how much breast milk
their baby consumes, they are less likely to encourage
overfeeding. Research suggests that breastfed babies
have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Other
research suggests that the rate of other chronic diseases
such as asthma,celiac disease,inflammatory bowel
disease, and various allergies appears to be lower in
breastfed babies than in babies fed formula. Premature
babies especially appear to benefit from reduced
chronic disease as a result of breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding also provides benefits to the nursing
mother. To start with, breastfeeding is more econom-
ical than buying formula, even taking into account the
extra food—about 500 calories daily— that the
mother needs to eat when she is nursing. SinceRequired nutrients for infant formulaMinimum(1) per Maximum(1) per
Nutrient 100 kilocalories 100 kilocalories
Protein (g)(2) 1.8 4.5
Fat:
grams 3.3 6.0
% calories 30.0 54.0
Essential fatty acids
(linoleate):
mg 300.0
% calories 2.7
Vitamins:
A (IU)(3) 250.0 (75 mcg) 750.0 (225 mcg)
D (IU) 40.0 100.0
K (mcg) 4.0
E (IU) 0.7 (with 0.7 IU/g
linoleic acid)
C (ascorbic acid) (mg) 8.0
B1 (thiamine) (mcg) 40.0
B2 (riboflavin) (mcg) 60.0
B6 (pyridoxine) (mcg) 35.0 (with 15 mcg/g
of protein in formula)
B12 (mcg) 0.15
Niacin (mcg) 250.0
Folic acid (mcg) 4.0
Pantothenic acid (mcg) 300.0
Biotin (mcg)(4) 1.5
Choline (mg)(4) 7.0
Inositol (mg)(4) 4.0
Minerals:
Calcium (mg)(5) 50.0
Phosphorus (mg)(5) 25.0
Magnesium (mg) 6.0
Iron (mg) 0.15
Iodine (mcg) 5.0
Zinc (mg) 0.5
Copper (mcg) 60.0
Manganese (mcg) 5.0
Sodium (mcg) 20.0 60.0
Potassium (mg) 80.0 200.0
Chloride (mg) 55.0 150.0
(1) Stated per 100 kilocalories (Kcal)
(2) The source of protein is at least nutritionally equivalent to casein
(3) Retinol equivalents
(4) Required to be included in this amount only in formulas that are not
milk based
(5) Calcium to phosphorus ratio must be not less than 1.1 nor more
than 2.0(Illustration by GGS Information Services/Thomson Gale.)Infant nutrition