Dear Marsha,
I quite agree with you about the vitamin D. You may be pleased to know that
in the current issue of the BMJ there is an article about some research
which suggested that too little sunshine can cause cancer. A short quote
here:
"Insufficient exposure to ultraviolet radiation may be an important risk
factor for cancer in western Europe and North America, according to the
author of a new study that directly contradicts official advice about
sunlight.
The research, published this week in the journal Cancer (2002;94:1867-75),
examined cancer mortality in the United States. Deaths from a range of
cancers of the reproductive and digestive systems were approximately twice
as high in New England as in the south west, despite a diet that varies
little between regions.
An examination of 506 regions found a close inverse correlation between
cancer mortality and levels of ultraviolet B light. The likeliest mechanism
for a protective effect of sunlight is vitamin D, which is synthesised by
the body in the presence of ultraviolet B."
I hope this study will be confirmed and that the fear of sunshine will be
put in perspective. Bad luck for Mead Johnson!
Best wishes
Lucy Simnett RN, RM, IBCLC
Bracknell, UK
>Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2002 08:21:28 EST
>From: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Vitamin D and Breast Milk
>
>Thanks to Nancy for the update on the vitamin D and breast milk issue.
>Supplementing all breastfed babies has been a hot topic at the recent US
>Breastfeeding Committee and the Breastfeeding Promotion Consortium meetings
>in Washington. During the Code monitoring project, NABA picked up the label
>change on Mead Johnson products which are now all labeled as Enfamil,
>including the vitamin D preparation (NABA's Code training workshop in May
>will look at this). Mead Johnson is the only commercial source of vitamin D
>for infants in the US. They recently added a coupon for $1.00 off their
>vitamin D preparation in their hospital discharge bags for breastfeeding
>mothers (NABA newsletter, Winter 2002). The accompanying text warns that,
>"...While breast milk contains some vitamin D, there may not be enough for
>your baby, depending on how much sun exposure your baby gets." WIC is
>already
>purchasing and distributing this vitamin D in some states. What a bonanza
>for
>Mead Johnson! I am still waiting for the proof that taking babies out in
>the
>sun for short periods of time causes skin cancer. These recommendations are
>being made based on a few cases not on a population basis.
>
>The Institute of Medicine recommends sun exposure of 30 minutes per week
>for
>a baby clad in a diaper or 2 hours fully clothed with no hat. That's about
>4
>minutes a day when its warm enough and 17 minutes a day for a nice walk
>outside. Sunscreen is not supposed to be used on babies under 6 months of
>age. So what do we tell mothers--keep your baby inside for 6 months and
>feed
>him medication he can get by poking his little nose out the door? Nothing
>is
>mentioned about maternal diet during pregnancy or lactation. Of what use is
>this blanket recommendation?
>
>Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC
>Weston, MA
>
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp.
***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html
|
