No Benefit from Hydrolyzed Casein Formula in Children at Risk for Diabetes

Exposure to cows' milk proteins in early life has been suggested to increase the risk for diabetes-associated autoantibodies. In an international, double-blind, multicenter trial, researchers randomized 2159 infants with diabetes susceptibility (risk-associated HLA genotype) and a first degree relative with type 1 diabetes to be weaned to hydrolyzed casein formula or conventional cows' milk formula for at least 60 days (mean, 10 weeks). Infants were weaned at a mean age of 2 months.

After a mean follow-up of 7 years, the risk for two or more islet autoantibodies was similar in the hydrolyzed- and conventional-formula groups (13% and 11%). The unadjusted hazard ratio for at least two autoantibodies in the hydrolyzed-formula group was 1.21 (95…