My friend Dr. Julie Smith gave me permission to post this. I will post her
attachment separately.
Dear Colleagues
Today is a very significant day for mothers and babies because of the
release of the new World Health Organisation charts for infant and child growth.
These are based on studying growth of breastfed babies, the biological norm, and
are to replace previous charts based on formula fed populations which have
misled many generations of mothers into prematurely weaning their babies
because the old charts showed them as underweight.
The Australian Breastfeeding Association press release put out today, is
below. Attached is the WHO material downloaded in a convenient form from the
website. Also some coverage in the London Times. <<Times article.doc>>
Please circulate this widely to your friends and colleagues.
Best wishes
Dr Julie Smith
Australian Research Council Australian Postdoctoral Fellow
Australian Centre for Economic Research on Health,
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Building 62, cnr Mills and Eggleston Roads
The Australian National University ACT 0200
T: ᄉ 2 6125 5620
M: ᄉ 416 099 630
F: ? 2 6125 0740
E: [log in to unmask]
W: http://www.acerh.edu.au/
CRICOS Provider # 00120C
HISTORIC DAY FOR MOTHERS AND BABIES
WHO replaces existing baby weight charts which undermine breastfeeding
The Australian Breastfeeding Association (formerly Nursing Mothers’) warmly
welcomes new baby growth charts released by the World Health Organisation
today, urging all Australian governments and health professionals to adopt them
immediately. Existing charts have undermined breastfeeding because they are
based on growth patterns of formula fed babies. Health experts believe the old
growth charts have contributed to childhood obesity and associated problems
like heart disease or diabetes later in life.
Charts used in Australia for decades to advise mothers on optimal size have
been biased by the inappropriate growth patterns of formula fed infants,
meaning that breastfed infants could be shown as underweight. Research since the
1990s has shown that formula fed babies gain excessive weight, because of
their higher energy intake.
Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) President Margaret Grove says the
new WHO charts were a historic change for mothers and babies. “We have known
for over a decade that current weight charts mislead mothers and their
health advisors about normal growth. Many mothers were wrongly told their
breastfed babies were underweight, and to introduce formula or solids before 6 months.
”
“Finding out that the current weight charts set excessive growth standards
for breastfed babies is small comfort to past generations of mothers - and
many who weaned needlessly may feel sad or even angry that they were misled -
but now at least they may let go of the guilt”, Ms Grove says.
The new WHO charts are based on data from exclusively breastfed babies,
which shows what is biologically normal. WHO research involved over 8000 children
from 6 countries, brought up in environments where breastfeeding, good diet,
and prevention and control of infection prevailed.
Leading Australian pediatrician Dr Gillian Opie, of Melbourne, has backed
the ABA call for Australia to change to a growth chart based on breastfed
babies. “We simply can’t afford to continue practices that promote premature
weaning, obesity and later chronic disease,” she says.
International infant nutrition researcher Professor Tim Cole of the UK
Institute of Child Health at University College in London says the new charts are
urgently needed. “During their first year, breastfed babies do not put on as
much weight as those fed on formula milk. Breastfed babies are less likely to
be fat later in life and to develop complications such as diabetes and heart
disease”.
This is because breastfed babies self-regulate their energy intake to lower
levels and have different metabolic rates and sleeping patterns.
The WHO recommends babies be fed solely on breastmilk up to 6 months of age,
with introduction of appropriate complementary foods and continued
breastfeeding to 2 years and beyond.
“Latest Australian statistics show only around one in ten babies are getting
just breastmilk at 6 months”, says Ms Grove.
Australian breastfeeding management expert and historian Virginia Thorley
says “the new weight charts are long overdue because of the unnecessary distress
caused to many breastfeeding mothers for years. Because of bad science in
compiling the old charts mothers were told their normal babies where not
thriving, when the charts were the problem.”
For well known author and lactation consultant Maureen Minchin, the proof of
the pudding is in the eating. In her 1985 book Breastfeeding Matters she
warned that artificial feeding of infants was the biggest uncontrolled
experiment in human history. “As the research results from these sort of studies come
in”, she says, “we can begin to see the harmful effects of this regrettable
experiment on mothers and babies. These new WHO charts are long overdue”.
Contacts for interviews:
ABA President Margaret Grove (02) 9713 2482, (mobile 0414 773 714)
Virginia Thorley 07 3399 7616
Maureen Minchin (03) 5221 2021 or 0402 242 178
Tim Cole 1223 352 633 after 8pm 28th April 06
For further information or to link to the WHO webpage please visit
www.breastfeeding.asn.au <http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au> or contact: Lee King 02
42941114, 0408 535 687
NSW Carey Wood 02 4363 2073,
ACT Julie Smith 02 6241 8861,
QLD Merewyn Janson 07 3814 0535,
SA/NT Jill Congedi 08 08 8278 7082
TAS Susanne Groom 03 64372462,
WA Kirsten Tannenbaum 08 93641321,
VIC Karen Commisso 0438 259 456.
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