For those of you who were unable to watch the launch of the Lancet breastfeeding series on 8th Feb, you can watch the recording here
https://player.4am.ch/who/20230208_BMS/index.html?lang=en
I highly recommend watching the recording as an excellent summary of the series is provided by Nigel Rollins from WHO and David McCoy from UCL, London. There is also a valuable discussion on the role of marketing of commercial infant formula (the term used in the series) in damaging the status of breastfeeding in communities round the world, rich and poor countries alike.
The series is freely available here
https://www.thelancet.com/series/breastfeeding-2023
and is essential reading for anyone concerned about the status of breastfeeding in today's world. the executive summary follows:
Breastfeeding has proven health benefits for both mothers and babies in high-income and low-income settings alike. Yet, less than 50% of babies worldwide are breastfed according to WHO recommendations. For decades, the commercial milk formula industry has used underhand marketing strategies, designed to prey on parents’ fears and concerns, to turn the feeding of infants and young children into a multibillion-dollar business—generating revenues of about $55 billion each year.
This three-paper Series outlines the multifaceted and highly effective strategies used by commercial formula manufacturers to target parents, health-care professionals, and policy-makers. The industry’s dubious marketing practices—in breach of the breastfeeding Code—are compounded by lobbying of governments, often covertly via trade associations and front groups, against strengthening breastfeeding protection laws and challenging food standard regulations.
Tony Waterston
CHIFA profile: Tony Waterston is a retired consultant paediatrician who worked mainly in the community in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. He spent 6 years working in Zambia and Zimbabwe and directed the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Diploma in Palestinian Child Health teaching programme in the occupied Palestinian territories. He was an Editor of the Journal of Tropical Pediatrics and is on the Executive Committee of the International Society for Social Pediatrics. His academic interests are child poverty, advocacy for child health and children's rights. He is currently the lead moderator of CHIFA (HIFA's sister forum on child health and rights). www.chifa.org He is also a member of the HIFA Steering Group. www.hifa.org/people/steering-group<http://www.hifa.org/people/steering-group>www.hifa.org/support/members/<... Tony.Waterston AT newcastle.ac.uk
