Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The BMJ logoLink to The BMJ
. 2003 May 3;326(7396):984. doi: 10.1136/bmj.326.7396.984

Monitoring marketing of infant formula feeds

WHO's global strategy is tool to protect breast feeding and child health

Magda Sachs 1
PMCID: PMC1125890  PMID: 12727779

Editor—Waterson and Tumwine assert that governments should accept promotion and protection of breast feeding as critical for improving child health.1 In May 2002 the World Health Assembly produced its strategy for infant and young child feeding.2 The World Health Organization's international code of marketing of breast milk substitutes3 and subsequent relevant assembly resolutions are integral to this strategy, which is intended as a model for all governments to adapt and adopt as national policy.

In the United Kingdom there is no indication that the government is considering this strategy or intends to commit to a comprehensive national policy, including the implied collection and evaluation of information.2 Currently only some provisions of the WHO code and World Health Assembly resolutions are enacted in UK legislation; no formal monitoring has been undertaken; legal mechanisms for enforcement have proved cumbersome. Since the United Kingdom performs poorly in terms of breastfeeding rates in comparison with other European countries there is no room for complacency (R Saadev, Department of Health conference on barriers to breast feeding, London, 2002).

If the United Kingdom were to commit to a national policy on feeding infants and young children it would help protect child health in the United Kingdom. In addition, if full collaboration of all concerned government agencies were implemented effectively, aid to low income countries could include capacity building so that countries such as Togo and Burkina Faso would have the means to monitor the protection of their children's health. Currently monitoring is all too often left to small non-governmental groups operating on shoestring budgets. Let us take heed of the warning from west Africa and act now in the United Kingdom to contribute nationally to global child health.4

Footnotes

Competing interests: MS is an adviser to Baby Milk Action, the UK member of the International Baby Feeding Action Network (IBFAN).

References

  • 1.Waterston T, Tumwine J. Monitoring the marketing of infant formula feeds. BMJ. 2003;326:113–114. doi: 10.1136/bmj.326.7381.113. . (18 January.) [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 2.World Health Organization. Geneva: WHO; 2002. Infant and young child nutrition: global strategy on infant and young child feeding.www.who.int/gb/EB_WHA/PDF/WHA55/ea5515.pdf [Google Scholar]
  • 3.World Health Organization. Geneva: WHO; 1981. International code of marketing of breast-milk substitutes. [Google Scholar]
  • 4.Aguayo VM, Ross JS, Kanon S, Ouedraogo AN. Monitoring compliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes in west Africa: multisite cross sectional survey in Togo and Burkina Faso. BMJ. 2003;326:113–114. doi: 10.1136/bmj.326.7381.127. . (18 January.) [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
BMJ. 2003 May 3;326(7396):984.

Manufacturers encourage transparent and official monitoring of WHO code

Andrée Bronner 1

Editor—Waterston and Tumwine's editorial and the study it describes are an example of why the International Association of Infant Food Manufacturers supports a better way to monitor and enforce the code in many countries.1-1,1-2 Our member companies are committed to the health and wellbeing of infants and young children. We support the aims and principles of the WHO code. For the code to succeed, however, national governments must oversee monitoring and enforcement in keeping with their own legislative and regulatory framework. The code itself recommends this, and indeed it is key to its success.

The reported study was led by a representative of the International Baby Feeding Action Network, which has devised its own system of monitoring. Under the WHO code, monitoring groups are required to inform companies of alleged non-compliance immediately so that they can respond and take corrective actions, if necessary. Yet in the three years since this monitoring took place, none of the researchers contacted the companies mentioned.

Data collection for the study was based on inaccurate interpretations of the WHO code. Most of the alleged violations refer to products that are complementary foods (such as baby cereals or fruit juices) and not breastmilk substitutes. The code explicitly excludes complementary foods from the marketing restrictions. Accusations came to light only in this article.

We are interested in cooperation and partnership with WHO, other institutions dedicated to the welfare of children, non-governmental organisations, and our member companies. To protect the health and promote nutrition of infants and young children, governments need to be encouraged to enforce the WHO code; monitoring must be based on research methods that fulfil basic reliability criteria, be transparent, and be carried out according to national legislation and standards. Only when we are focused on this shared goal will the code succeed.

Footnotes

Competing interests: None declared.

References

  • 1-1.Waterston T, Tumwine J. Monitoring the marketing of infant formula feeds. BMJ. 2003;326:113–114. doi: 10.1136/bmj.326.7381.113. . (18 January.) [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 1-2.Aguayo VM, Ross JS, Kanon S, Ouedraogo AN. Monitoring compliance with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes in west Africa: multisite cross sectional survey in Togo and Burkina Faso. BMJ. 2003;326:113–114. doi: 10.1136/bmj.326.7381.127. . (18 January.) [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from BMJ : British Medical Journal are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES