Formula milk is sold in supermarkets with the slogan of being able to connect brain cells, good for health and can produce intelligent babies. This is clearly displayed on the side of the purchased can of milk. But according to a study by scientists from 15 countries, the majority of claims that formula milk is good for health and full of nutrients are not supported by scientific evidence.
The study involved the milk of 757 brands of formula milk sold in the United States, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Australia, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Russia, Spain, and the UK. Brands are chosen based on the benefits the product is said to offer.
Of this group, 53% claimed that the formula helped the development of the brain, eyes or nervous system. Meanwhile, another 39% claim that the formula strengthens the immune system of the drinker's body. It is very troubling that the researchers found that 74% of milk formulas do not have any scientific evidence that supports the product is really nutritious.
Of the 26% of products that have scientific evidence, 56% use data from reviews, opinions and studies on animals. There is no evidence that the same nutritional data can be enjoyed by human consumers. Meanwhile only 14% used references from clinical studies. Adding to the dubious 88% of clinical study references receiving funding from the formula milk industry makes the results questionable.
So it's clear all this time when doctors say breastfeeding a child with body milk is more nutritious than formula milk. The study was published in the journal The BMJ with the data having gone through a peer review process.