World Health Assembly adopts two landmark Resolutions on the promotion
of junk foods and baby foods
http://info.babymilkaction.org/pressrelease/pressrelease22may10
21st May 2010
Palais des Nations, Geneva
Tonight, 29 years after the adoption of the landmark International
Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, the World Health Assembly
adopted two new historic Resolutions which should have long lasting
impact on child health.
First a Resolution proposed by Norway called for Member States to
implement a set of recommendations which aim to reduce the impact on
children of the marketing of 'junk' foods. They call on Governments
to restrict marketing, including in 'settings where children gather'
such as schools and to avoid conflicts of interest.
The 'junk food code' (1) as many refer to it - was closely followed by
a Resolution on Infant and Young Child Nutrition, which also
highlighted the impact of commercial promotion of baby foods on the
health and survival of children, including the rise in childhood
obesity, which is now known to be closely linked with artificial
feeding, (2)
The baby food Resolution was debated over three days and tackled
several controversial issues including, firstly the need to protect
promote and support breastfeeding in emergencies and the need to
minimise the risks of artificial by ensuring that any required
breastmilk substitutes are purchased, distributed and used according
to strict criteria. Member States were urged to follow the
Operational Guidance on Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies
for Emergency Relief Staff. (3)
Secondly - a policy change that has been resisted by the baby food
industry for three decades - that there should be an 'end to all
forms of inappropriate promotion of foods for infants and young
children and that nutrition and health claims should not be permitted
on these foods'. The Resolution should stop the widespread use of
claims about better IQ, better eyesight or protection from infection,
which are so misleading to parents. The misleading advertising and
labelling of baby foods also entices parents to use them before
recommended age of 6 months.
The baby food industry were out in force to witness as Member State
after Member State highlighted their continued irresponsible and
inappropriate promotion. Thailand, expressed "deep concern over the
ineffectiveness of voluntary measures' and called for legislative
measures to control the marketing." The Delegate of Swaziland,
Thulani Maphosa, highlighted his country's concern about the
unethical sponsorship of health workers by baby food companies and the
need to address conflicts of interest.
Dr Elizabeth Mason, Director of Child and Adolescent Health said, "
We are very excited about this Resolution and the renewed commitment
for the protection of breastfeeding and will continue its support to
Member States on this very important issue."
Other Resolutions, on the Millennium Development Goals and the
Prevention Pneumonia, adopted today, recognised the core importance
of breastfeeding in reducing child mortality. As the WHO Secretariat
Report,stated: "Breastfeeding is today the single most effective
preventive intervention for improving the survival and health of
children"
1 Marketing of food and non-alcoholic beverages to children.
2 Children who are breastfed are at reduced risk of obesity.77 Studies
have found that the likelihood of obesity is 22% lower among children
who were breastfed.78 The strongest effects were observed among
adolescents, meaning that the obesity-reducing benefits of
breastfeeding extend many years into a child’s life.Another study
determined that the risk of becoming overweight was reduced by 4% for
each month of breastfeeding.79 This effect plateaued after nine months
of breastfeeding. SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY WITHIN A
GENERATION White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity Report to the
President May 2010
http://www.letsmove.gov/tfco_fullreport_may2010.pdf
3 Operational Guidance on Infant and Young Child Feeding in
Emergencies for Emergency relief staff. V 2.1)
(www.ennonline.net/resources/6
___________________________________________________________
For more information contact:
Patti Rundall, OBE, Policy Director, Baby Milk Action
[log in to unmask] +41 76 606 6594
Annelies Allain, Director, International Code Documentation Centre
[log in to unmask] +41 76 216 9164
Dr Arun Gupta, Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India:
[log in to unmask] +41 76732 1073
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