So what's the deal with CHOCOLATE toddler formula!?

I heard the oddest news report this morning. Apparently, unbeknownst to yours truly, Mead-Johnson, the makers of Enfamil have come out with chocolate flavored toddler formula! Their argument for doing so is rather compelling. Your toddler, between the ages of 12 months and 36 months, is at the pickiest eating stage of her life. There will never be an age at which you will be as concerned about how much your child eats than this age. Mead-Johnson, in their advertising, contends that your child still needs all the same vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids in their diet for growth, yet here they are not eating.

Well this certainly caught my eye as two of my strong interests are kids and nutrition. The issue is critically important for the physical health of this nation. So I looked a little deeper into the subject. I must say, Mead-Johnson has done their homework on this one. I compared Enfamil Lipil, the standard infant formula with Enfagrow, their new chocolate flavored toddler formula. At first glance, the nutritional information appears great! The calorie count is actually down compared to regular formula. Fat content is down in the range of 2% milk. Sugar content is up a little, but not too much. The balance of vitamins and minerals is impressive and far better than 2% milk which is the current recommendation of professional medical societies. So what's the problem? Mead-Johnson is selling a food product that on the surface seems to meet the needs of both parents and toddlers.

Let me give you an example I think most of my readers will understand very clearly. Yesterday, I had a generous lunch. I like to eat... a lot! I exercise a lot and have good genetics, so I can get away with more than the average person. A couple of hours after this generous lunch, I heard the "Buster Bar" in the freezer calling my name. Now a "Buster Bar" is a wonderful Dairy Queen ice cream treat that boasts a whopping 460 calories! Even for my metabolism and exercise level, that's enough to fuel 1/6 of my day. And this was AFTER I had already eaten well through the morning and lunch hour. The LAST thing my body needed was a "Buster Bar!" So what did I do? I ate it!!! There's no justifying it. My body didn't need it. I didn't reduce the rest of my daily calories to adjust. That's 460 calories that will forever sit there until my body uses it... assuming it ever does!

By the same token, Mead-Johnson is correct in saying that the toddler years are the pickiest years of a persons life. Many days, it appears that the toddler isn't eating anything at all. Most parents and, especially grandparents, can't accept this, can't get their heads around it, and really think that it's bad for their charges to not eat. Nothing could be further from the truth! Toddlers don't eat because they aren't hungry! I hear you now. "But if I offer something different, they eat it. Doesn't that prove they're hungry?" Absolutely not! Did I eat that "Buster Bar" because I was hungry? No, I ate it because it tasted good. Likewise, I contend that if your toddler won't eat regular, healthy food, it is because they are not hungry. If they take chocolate flavored formula when they won't eat anything else, it's not because they are hungry. It's not because their bodies are crying out for the nutrition that is in the formula. It's because it tastes good! Plain and simple.

Whenever I have a question that doesn't make sense to me, I always say, "Follow the money." Mead-Johnson is gambling on the fact that concerned parents don't think their children eat enough, so they are producing a tasty alternative to get your children to eat more. In the process, it just so happens that the more Mead-Johnson can get your child to eat, the more money they will make. And, by the way, the more they can get your child to eat, the higher the risk that your child will be overweight.

If you are truly concerned about the nutrition of your child, discuss vitamins and minerals with your childs physician. There are alternatives that can be given that don't come loaded with 425 calories per 24 ounces with 65 grams of sugar added!