Growth, stool consistency and bone mineral content in healthy term infants fed sn-2-palmitate-enriched starter infant formula: A randomized, double-blind, multicentre clinical trial.

Background: Palmitate in breast milk is predominantly located in the triacylglycerol sn-2 position, while infant formulae contain palmitate predominantly in the sn-1 and sn-3 positions. During digestion, palmitate in the sn-1 and sn-3 positions is hydrolyzed to free palmitic acid that can subsequently complex with calcium to form insoluble soaps; this may partially explain why formula-fed infants have harder stools than breast-fed infants.

Methods: This large (n = 488) randomized, double-blind, multicentre trial investigated whether increasing the sn-2 palmitate content of infant formula improves stool consistency and bone mineral content (measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry), without affecting growth or health.

Timeliness of vaccination in infants followed by primary-care pediatricians in France.

Vaccination status is more often evaluated by up-to-date vaccination coverage rather than timeliness of immunization. Delaying vaccination may be dangerous during infancy. The aim of this study was to identify the importance of potentially dangerous vaccination delay (previously defined) and determinants of these delays.