ArticleInternational journal of environmental research and public health2022
Environmental Impact of Feeding with Infant Formula in Comparison with Breastfeeding.
Article in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 26 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
26 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 42 citations in OpenAlex.
- Maternal satisfaction with breastfeeding: a systematic review with meta-analysis.Revista brasileira de enfermagem · 2026Pooled it
- Effectiveness of individualized breastfeeding counseling during the dyad's stay in rooming-in: a randomized, multicenter, open and parallel study.International breastfeeding journal · 2025Trial
- Implementation Analysis of Mexico's Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly Initiative: 2016-2023.Maternal & child nutrition · 2026Article
- Nurturing People and Planet: Breastfeeding in Climate Mitigation and Adaptation.Frontiers in sustainable food systems · 2026Article
- Review
- Pediatric Health at the Crossroads of Climate Change, Food Insecurity, and Malnutrition.Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) · 2026Review
- Gender-just reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in maternity care services through the 'baby- friendly hospital initiative': a scoping review.International breastfeeding journal · 2026Article
- Effectiveness of an Educational and Counseling Program (the Green Mother Project Phase 2) to Enhance Breastfeeding and Improve Mothers' Diets From an Environmental Perspective: Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR research protocols · 2026Article
- A Comprehensive Assessment of the Environmental Impact of Different Infant Feeding Types: The Observational Study GREEN MOTHER.Journal of advanced nursing · 2025Observational
- Review
- Breastfeeding and Water Security.Maternal & child nutrition · 2025Article
- Climate Change and Prevention - Review of Prevention Indicators of the German Federal States in Relation to 'Climate Change and Health'.Journal of health monitoring · 2025Article
- Article
- Economic and environmental impacts of commercial milk formula in Indonesia: estimates and comparisons using the Cost of Not Breastfeeding, Green Feeding, and Mothers' Milk Tools.International breastfeeding journal · 2025Article
- Formula Labelling in the United Kingdom: Manufacturers' Compliance With the Code, UK Law and Guidance Notes.Maternal & child nutrition · 2025Article
- The costs of suboptimal breastfeeding in Ontario, Canada, and potential healthcare resource impacts from improving rates: a pediatric health system costing analysis.International breastfeeding journal · 2025Article
- Addressing Infant and Young Child Feeding Recommendations From a Planetary Health Perspective.Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) · 2024Review
- Environmental impact of infant feeding type, accessories used and maternal dietary habits: The GREEN MOTHER-I project, a cross-sectional study protocol.Nutrition journal · 2024Article
- A proposal to recognize investment in breastfeeding as a carbon offset.Bulletin of the World Health Organization · 2024Article
- Secular trends in infant feeding practices during the first year of life in Norway: findings from 1998 to 2019 - the Spedkost surveys.The British journal of nutrition · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
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.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.