Formula Facts

Fact 1: Shopko Infant Formula is Fully Compliant with the Infant Formula Act

All infant formulas manufactured in the United States must meet the guidelines of the Infant Formula Act. This act was passed by the federal government to ensure that all infant formula used in the United States has the proper ingredients and has been manufactured in a safe and sanitary manner. These guidelines are strictly enforced by the FDA.

The FDA strictly regulates the minimum and maximum amount of every nutrient in all formulas, so you can be certain your baby is getting complete nutrition from Shopko Infant Formula.

Fact 2: The Addition of the Lipids DHA and ARA

For years infant formula companies have been adding lipids to formulas because these essential nutrients occur naturally in mother's milk. Numerous clinical studies have found that the lipids DHA and ARA (docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid) to support mental and visual development in infants.

Fact 3: Shopko Infant Formula is a Less Expensive Alternative to National Brands

If you want to use a baby formula brand that contains DHA and ARA, Shopko Infant Formula offers complete nutrition and is a less expensive alternative than name brand baby formulas. That's a fact you can appreciate when deciding on the best baby formula for your little one.

About DHA & ARA

What Are Lipids?

Shopko Infant Formula is specially formulated with DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and ARA (arachidonic acid), naturally occurring nutrients in mother's milk that support mental and visual development.

Lipids, or fats, are found naturally in breast milk and are an essential part of a healthy diet because they are important structural components of an infant's brain and eyes.

Shopko Infant Formula contains DHA and ARA lipids derived from natural vegetarian sources. These single-cell vegetable sources provide the closest match to the DHA and ARA found in breast milk.

What is DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid)?

DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid found in tissues throughout the body. DHA is a major structural and functional element of all membranes in the gray matter of the brain and the retina of the eye and is also an important part of the heart. Numerous studies prove that people of all ages, from infancy to adulthood, benefit from an adequate supply of DHA.

What is ARA (Arachidonic Acid)?

ARA is an omega-6 fatty acid found in the brain and in other cells throughout the body. ARA is important for proper brain development in infants and is a precursor to a group of hormone-like substances that are crucial to immunity, blood clotting, and other essential bodily functions.

Scientific Studies on the Benefits of the Lipids DHA and ARA

A longitudinal study of children from birth to 18 years that examined early diets and subsequent cognitive outcomes found that breastfeeding was associated with increased cognitive ability and school performance during childhood and adolescence.1

These benefits were attributed to the effects of long-chain, polyunsaturated fatty acids--particularly DHA--in early neurodevelopment.

In another study, researchers in England found that women who regularly ate oily fish (a source of DHA) throughout pregnancy and during lactation gave birth to children who had better visual development at the age of three compared to those children whose mothers did not breast feed.2

Benefits of DHA and ARA in Infant Formula

The benefits of DHA and ARA have been documented in numerous scientific studies to promote cognitive and visual advantages in infants fed infant formulas enriched with DHA and ARA:

Based on their IQ test results later in childhood, infants in one study who were fed formula with DHA and ARA achieved higher problem-solving skills than infants who were fed standard formulas.3

Another study revealed that infants fed formula with DHA and ARA earned higher marks on IQ tests at the age of 18 months.4 These infants also had superior visual acuity at four months and one year similar to the visual acuity of breastfed infants.5

1. Horwood, LJ and Ferguson, DM. Breastfeeding and Later Cognitive and Academic Outcomes, Pediatrics 101(1):1-7, 1998.
2. Williams, C, Birch, EE, Emmett, PM et al. Stereoacuity at Age 3.5 Years in Children Born Full Term is Associated with Prenatal and Postnatal Dietary Factors: A Report From a Population-Based Cohort Study, Am J Clin Nutr 73:316-322, 2001.
3. Willatts, P, Forsyth, JS, DiModugno, MK et al. Effect of Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Infant Formula on Problem Solving at 10 Months of Age, Lancet 352:688-691, 1998.
4. Birch, EE, Garfield, S, Hoffman, DR et al. A Randomized Controlled Trial of Early Dietary Supply of Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Mental Development in Term Infants, Dev Med Child Neurol 42:174-181, 2000.
5. Birch, EE, Hoffman, DR, Uauy, R et al. Visual Acuity and the Essentiality of Docosahexaenoic Acid and Arachidonic Acid in the Diet of Term Infants, Pediatr Res 44:201-209, 1998.

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Mother's milk is best for babies
†Enfamil® & LIPIL® are registered trademarks of Mead Johnson & Co. Similac® & Advance® are registered trademarks of Abbott Laboratories. Shopko™ Infant Formula is NOT made by or affiliated with Mead Johnson & Co. or Abbott Laboratories. FDA Infant Formula Act NS = Not Specified. ‡ Mead Johnson website. Individual Descriptions. Values available at: http://www.meadjohnson.com/professional/indivdescr.html Accessed July 23, 2007. ‡Ross Products website. Product Handbook. Calculated from data available at: http://www.ross.com/productHandbook/pedNut.asp. Accessed July 23, 2007. All other values are based on label claims as of July 2007 and are subject to change. Shopko™ Infant Formula DHA & ARA levels vs. Similac® Advance® have not been directly proven to result in superior performance in support of infant development.