Brilio.net - Giving formula milk to babies as a substitute for breast milk has become a trend among young urban mothers. This decision is often taken for various reasons, ranging from busy work to insufficient breast milk production. However, many parents are not aware of the dangers of giving formula milk to babies which can threaten their little one's health in the long term.
The risks of giving formula milk to babies include a variety of serious health problems. Babies who are fed formula milk have a higher tendency to experience obesity, diabetes and digestive disorders than babies who are breastfed. In addition, their immune systems also tend to be weaker, making them more susceptible to infections and allergies.
The lack of essential nutrients in formula milk is also a major concern for health experts. Breast milk contains antibodies and perfect nutrients that are difficult for formula milk to imitate. Babies who do not receive breast milk are at risk of experiencing malnutrition as well as hampered optimal brain development. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the risks of giving formula milk to babies is very important for every parent.
In order to better understand the dangers of giving formula milk to babies as a substitute for breast milk, you should read the full review of the article below, as adapted by brilio.net from various sources, Tuesday (6/8).
The risks of giving formula milk to babies as a substitute for breast milk.
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1. Increases the risk of obesity.
Babies who are fed formula milk have a higher risk of becoming obese later in life. A meta-analysis study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2016 showed that formula-fed babies had a 25% increased risk of obesity compared to breast-fed babies.
This is caused by the higher protein content in formula milk compared to breast milk, as well as differences in eating patterns and satiety control mechanisms. Breast milk contains the hormone leptin which helps regulate your little one's appetite and metabolism, while formula milk does not have this component.
2. Risk of type 1 and 2 diabetes
The next risk is type 1 and 2 diabetes. Giving formula milk can increase the risk of diabetes in children. How could it not be, a study published in the journal Diabetes Care in 2017 found that babies who were given formula milk in the first 3 months of life had a 19% higher risk of developing type 1 diabetes than babies who were exclusively breastfed.
For type 2 diabetes, a long-term study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) showed that children who were fed formula milk had a 35% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in adulthood than those who were breastfed. This is attributed to the protective effects of bioactive components in breast milk that help regulate glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity.
Apart from that, formula milk also contains synthetic sugar which adds various flavors to the milk. Therefore, mothers should not give formula milk to babies. Maximize exclusive breastfeeding for your little one for at least the first 6 months.
3. Immune system disorders.
Breast milk contains various antibodies and immune factors that cannot be fully replicated in formula milk. According to research by Frontiers in Pediatrics in 2018, it shows that babies who are breastfed have a stronger immune system while reducing the risk of disease infection.
In contrast, formula-fed babies had a 16.7 times higher risk of hospitalization for gastrointestinal infections and a 3.6 times higher risk for respiratory infections in the first 6 months of life. Breast milk also contains oligosaccharides which function as prebiotics which support the growth of good bacteria in the baby's intestines and increase immunity.
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4. Risk of allergies and asthma.
The risk of giving formula milk as a substitute for breast milk can also increase the risk of allergies or asthma in children. Adapting research from a cohort conducted in Sweden and published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology in 2019, it was found that babies who were given formula milk in the first 4 months of life had a 54% higher risk of experiencing food allergies at the age of 1 year compared to babies who were exclusively breastfed. .
Meanwhile, according to research in England published in the European Respiratory Journal in 2021, it shows that children who were given formula milk from an early age had a 37% higher risk of developing asthma at the age of 3 years compared to those who were breastfed for at least 6 months.
5. Lack of nutrition or important nutrients.
Although formula milk is designed to mimic the composition of breast milk, some of the important nutrients in breast milk are difficult to replicate. An adaptation in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2020 showed that babies who were fed formula milk had lower levels of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) in their brain tissue than babies who were breastfed.
Even though the DHA content is very important for the baby's brain development and cognitive function. In addition, breast milk contains more than 200 complex oligosaccharides that play a role in the development of the baby's gut microbiome, while formula milk can only replicate a few types of these oligosaccharides.
Thus, every parent must be aware of the risks that exist. Formula milk remains a safe and important alternative for babies who cannot be breastfed for various reasons. However, understanding these risks can help parents make more informed decisions about feeding their little ones.