Mothers, fathers and caregivers in the US have had to compete for formula or travel long distances to get it. Why is it scarce now? Could it affect the diet of an entire generation?
An infant formula shortage has exacerbated the misery of American parents, who are already faced with the pressures of raising a baby during a pandemic in a country that ranks last in family-friendly policies. According to media reports, mothers, fathers and other caregivers have had to drive for hours to find stores that sell formula.
What is behind the scarcity? And how can it be prevented from happening again? Steven Abrams, a leading pediatric health expert at the University of Texas who has advised both the infant formula industry and the US government on infant nutrition, answers these questions and advises parents who struggle to get enough infant formula.
Actually, there are two factors that have caused the current shortage. First of all, we have the problem of the supply chain, which has affected all kinds of products since the start of the pandemic. It calmed down a bit, but in early 2022 it got worse.
Then, in February, a major baby food factory in the United States collapsed. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has closed Abbott Nutrition’s Michigan plant. The shutdown came after Abbott recalled several brands of infant formula, including routine Similac-based cow’s milk formulas, such as Similac Advance, and several specialty formulas for infants with allergies, such as Similac Alimentum and Similac EleCare.
Actually, there are two factors that have caused the current shortage. First of all, we have the problem of the supply chain, which has affected all kinds of products since the start of the pandemic. It calmed down a bit, but in early 2022 it got worse.
Then, in February, a major baby food factory in the United States collapsed. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has closed Abbott Nutrition’s Michigan plant. The shutdown came after Abbott recalled several brands of infant formula, including routine Similac-based cow’s milk formulas, such as Similac Advance, and several specialty formulas for infants with allergies, such as Similac Alimentum and Similac EleCare.
The factory shutdown was due to an investigation into bacterial infections linked to factory-produced powder foods and the death of at least two babies. The problem is, there isn’t much redundancy in infant formula manufacturing in the United States. In other words, there aren’t enough factories to supply the lack of production if one goes down. The Michigan plant is the nation’s largest producer, so if a breakdown occurs, the entire bottle-feeding distribution system is put under pressure, especially for certain formulas for infants with allergies and metabolic disorders.
The deficit has worsened in the past two weeks. I can’t say for sure why this happened, but I suspect hoarding due to parental anxiety. Stores may limit the amount of formula you can buy, but that doesn’t stop people from buying more online.
In addition, the deficit has received a lot of publicity in newspapers, on television and in political speeches. All that hype is fueling the public sense that the system is failing, leading to more panic buying and hoarding.
Most parents bottle feed their infants at some point to meet their nutritional needs, especially older babies. At birth and in the days after, about 80% of babies in the US get all their nutrition through breast milk. But by 6 months, most babies are getting at least formula. The proportion of one-year-old babies receiving formula milk is even higher. This is largely the result of social dynamics and pressures: mothers return to work after childbirth, but are not given sufficient support to produce and store sufficient breast milk.
But the deficiency will affect some parents more than others. Not surprisingly, the most affected parents are those with the lowest incomes. In the United States, the federal feeding program for the poorest women, infants and children, called WIC, provides formulas for most babies in low-income families. But costs have risen and bottle feeding has become scarcer.
Some families have to drive two hours to find stores that sell formula. This will of course be more difficult for the poorest families, as there are costs involved. Likewise, more affluent parents can buy more expensive formulas, from the so-called elite brands.
Another aspect to keep in mind is that the deficiency affects both regular formula milks and special versions. Regular or standard formula is the type that most families are familiar with, and about 95% of babies who are bottle-fed in the US get the standard type. Specialized formula is for babies with unusual needs, due to allergies, damaged gut or special nutritional needs. Before the Michigan plant closed, it made most of the specialty infant formula used in the US, making it an absolute crisis for families needing that type of formula.
In the first six months, babies should only drink breast milk or formula; anything else given to them will be nutritionally incomplete. Therefore, there is a risk that babies will not receive the nutrition they need to develop due to deficiencies. This can cause a number of health problems that would affect their physical growth and brain development.
In addition, there is concern that parents are using unsafe alternatives, such as diluting their baby’s formula. People are known to try to make their own milk by mixing powdered milk or vegan milk with vitamins. Not only are these alternatives nutritionally incomplete, they may not be completely sterile.
After six months, things will get a little better if the baby can start eating solid foods. But even then, formula or breast milk is still the main source of nutrition. Therefore, there may still be a risk of nutritional deficiencies, such as iron.
From the age of six months, and for a fairly short time, parents can give their babies whole cow’s milk and look for iron supplements.
It is not ideal and only applies to older babies. For children under six months, cow’s milk is a real problem. It doesn’t have the right protein mix for babies and it has almost no iron, which puts a risk of anemia for younger babies. Cow’s milk also has a mineral imbalance, especially for younger babies.
It’s a challenge and I can’t give a magic answer to it. But food banks and the WIC program have been a crucial lifeline. The WIC program in particular has proved to be very flexible during this shortage. When Abbott had to recall products and then couldn’t offer enough unrecalled formulas in states where it was the WIC provider, WIC was able to switch providers and reprogram EBT cards so that low-income parents could buy different brands.
First of all, we need to help families regain confidence in the formula production and delivery system. This prevents problems such as hoarding or making homemade formulas.
Next, we need to explore how to make sure that the fall of one plant doesn’t affect the entire system. The federal government cannot store formula in the same way that oil does because formula has a shelf life. But diversifying infant formula production is a possibility. This would mean ensuring that various factories and companies produce the formulas this country needs. This does not necessarily mean an increase in costs, as competition can drive prices down.
I think the US should also look at the country’s breastfeeding support system. Don’t get me wrong, some parents will always need formula. But those who want to breastfeed, you should do everything you can to support them. That includes better family leave policies and help for low-income mothers who want to express and store milk while they work.
This article was published in ‘Het Gesprek’.
Source: La Verdad
I am an experienced and passionate journalist with a strong track record in news website reporting. I specialize in technology coverage, breaking stories on the latest developments and trends from around the world. Working for Today Times Live has given me the opportunity to write thought-provoking pieces that have caught the attention of many readers.
