Understanding the impact of the 2022 Infant Formula Crisis
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Parents deserve to know how their baby will be fed without rummaging through empty shelves, scouring social media, or frantically texting friends and family. The infant formula crisis that the United States experienced in 2022 was beyond heartbreaking. To ensure that no other families will have to endure an infant formula shortage again, we need data. This research will empower families impacted by the infant formula shortage to share their experiences and provide critical data needed for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to evolve the field of infant feeding.
About the Research Team
This work comes out of Dr. Jennifer Smilowitz's research program at the UC Davis Foods for Health Institute, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and is a collaboration with board-certified pediatrician researchers.
- Jennifer Smilowitz, PhD is a mom, Certified Lactation Educator, faculty affiliate in the Department of Food Science and Technology and Associate Director of the Human Studies Research Program for the Foods for Health Institute at University of California Davis.
- Anthony Porto, MD, MPH, FAAP is a dad, board-certified pediatric gastroenterologist, AAP Spokesperson, associate professor of pediatrics, associate chief of pediatric GI at Yale University, researcher, and Bobbie’s Chief Medical Officer
- Dina DiMaggio, MD, FAAP is a mom, board-certified pediatrician, AAP Spokesperson, researcher, and Bobbie Medical Research Director
Study Communications
Dr. Dina DiMaggio presented findings at the American Society for Nutrition conference in July of 2023, showing that high rates of changing infant formulas negatively impacted quality of life.