Parents of young children get information about popular nut milks and dairy alternatives from influencers and non-medical bloggers

Parents of young children under 5 interested in alternatives to cow’s milk, such as nut and rice milks, are finding information online, and nearly half of the most popular bloggers on this topic don’t were neither dietitians nor health professionals, according to a study presented at the event. AAP 2023 National Conference and Exhibition at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

The researchers of the summary “Milk Mania: Analysis of online information and perception regarding alternatives to milk for toddlers” studied the 145 most popular blogs among parents of children under 5 on the topic alternatives to milk. They found that although many parents search for information online on the topic of milk alternatives, 47% of the most popular bloggers on this topic were laypeople without Medical training. Of the remaining bloggers, 32% were nutritionists or dietitians, 12% were doctors or nurses, 5% were holistic providers, and 4% were doctors and scientists.

“The large number of online blogs discussing alternatives to milk for toddlers suggests that this is an issue of great interest to caregivers, who may turn to blogs that provide information not research and nutritional recommendations on milk alternatives,” said lead author Kara Sangiuolo, a medecine studient at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “I believe there is a major opportunity for pediatricians and pediatric nutritionists to enter the online space and provide more accurate and consistent information to help caregivers looking to transition their little ones away from breast milk .”

Among the popular blogs studied, bloggers were most likely to recommend soy milk (37%) and pea milk (17%) as better alternatives to milk, and the most frequently cited alternatives were soy milk (84%), almond milk (79%) and rice milk (65%). However, 14 blogs recommended making homemade milks for toddlers, and two blogs said homemade milk was the best alternative to milk.

“Several blogs included unsupported recommendations, such as making unfortified homemade milks for growing toddlers. The lack of consistent information between blogs was concerning, and only half of all blogs discussed the nutritional composition of cow’s milk alternatives,” Sangiuolo said.

“This reveals the need for greater dissemination of accurate nutritional recommendations regarding alternatives to cow’s milk from pediatricians and nutritionists. This information can be disseminated online to reach caregivers and better promote the healthy development and toddler nutrition during early childhood.