Nutrient intakes of older infants: effect of different milk feedings

Using 24-hour dietary and nutrient intake of 293 infants 7-12 months of age from NHANES II, 1976-80, we determined the hypothetical effects of different milk feedings on total intake of 12 nutrients. Infants were grouped by age at 7-8, 9-10, and 11-12 months. Human milk (HM), Fe-fortified infant formula (I-FM), whole cow's milk (WCM), and 2% lowfat milk (2%) were substituted to provide the same energy as that calculated from the difference between median energy intake provided by solid foods and the total diet. Nutrients from milk feedings were added to median nutrient intake from solid foods. Use of WCM or 2% resulted in low total intakes of Fe (6.3-11.1 mg) and linoleic acid (0.5-2.5 g) and high intakes of protein (32-47 g), Na (630-1,200 mg), K (1,400-1,900 mg), and Ca (920-1,170 mg) relative to the RDA. Feeding of HM provided total intakes that met the RDA for each nutrient except Fe (6.1-10.8 mg) and Ca (350-370 mg). When I-FM was fed, the RDA was met for each nutrient except Ca (370-490 mg) at all ages and Fe (13.1 mg) at 11-12 months. Estimated safe and adequate daily intake of Na was exceeded at 9-10 months by infants fed WCM/2% and at 11-12 months by all infants regardless of milk feeding, primarily because of the high Na content of solid foods. These data confirm that the milk feeding is still the major determinant of total nutrient intake in the second 6 months of life.