Abbott Laboratories has been sued for its marketing of products designed for older babies and toddlers. The American Academy of Pediatrics had flagged “questionable practices” in the past by formula makers.
Abbott, a conglomerate of health care products based in Illinois is misleading parents about the nutritional value its sugary toddler milks. This was revealed by a lawsuit brought Tuesday against Similac, the manufacturer of Similac formulas.
The toddler milk products are not regulated by the FDA and could be harmful. The toddler milk products, unlike the baby formulas, are not regulated and could be harmful according to , a nonprofit legal center at Northeastern University School of Law.
According to PHAI, the lawsuit filed before U.S. District Court for Northern District of Illinois, sales of toddler milk in the United States average more than $500,000,000 a year.
George Fuchs is a professor of pediatric gastroenterology and pediatrics at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics. He said that toddler milk can be more than just unnecessarily sweetened. Fuchs who was the lead author of AAP ‘s report on Toddler Milks noted that “the added sugars may increase a child’s desire for sweetened food, which can contribute to obesity and health risks later in life.”
The suit claims that Abbott’s “Go & Grow Toddler Drink” and “Pure Bliss Toddler Drink” are “Stage 3” products, labeled in a similar way to FDA-regulated formulas for infants, and are sold on the exact same shelves. This implies they are the third nutritionally recommended product, after “Stage 1 infant formula” and “Stage 2 transitional formula,” the suit states.
The UConn Rudd Center’s Senior Research Advisor, Marketing Initiatives, Dr. Jennifer Harris said that “common toddler milk marketing practices” include unsubstantiated nutritional claims and packaging that looks like infant formulas. This misleads parents and caregivers into believing that toddler milks offer nutritional benefits to their young children.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and other experts recommend that children older than 12 months receive water and plain milk.
Abbott didn’t immediately respond to comments.
