Environmental Impact of Feeding with Infant Formula in Comparison with Breastfeeding

Ellen Cecilie Andresen, Anne-Grete Roer Hjelkrem, Anne Kjersti Bakken and Lene Frost Andersen
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Ellen Cecilie Andresen: Department of Nutrition, University of Oslo, 0317 Oslo, Norway
Anne-Grete Roer Hjelkrem: Division of Food Production and Society, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), 1431 Ås, Norway
Anne Kjersti Bakken: Division of Food Production and Society, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), 1431 Ås, Norway
Lene Frost Andersen: Department of Nutrition, University of Oslo, 0317 Oslo, Norway

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 11, 1-15

Abstract: Young children have unique nutritional requirements, and breastfeeding is the best option to support healthy growth and development. Concerns have been raised around the increasing use of milk-based infant formulas in replacement of breastfeeding, in regards to health, social, economic and environmental factors. However, literature on the environmental impact of infant formula feeding and breastfeeding is scarce. In this study we estimated the environmental impact of four months exclusive feeding with infant formula compared to four months exclusive breastfeeding in a Norwegian setting. We used life-cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, including the impact categories global warming potential, terrestrial acidification, marine and freshwater eutrophication, and land use. We found that the environmental impact of four months exclusive feeding with infant formula was 35–72% higher than that of four months exclusive breastfeeding, depending on the impact category. For infant formula, cow milk was the main contributor to total score for all impact categories. The environmental impact of breastfeeding was dependant on the composition of the lactating mother’s diet. In conclusion, we found that breastfeeding has a lower environmental impact than feeding with infant formula. A limitation of the study is the use of secondary LCA data for raw ingredients and processes.

Keywords: breastfeeding; infant formula; life-cycle assessment; global warming potential; acidification; eutrophication; land use (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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