Not news really to most of us, though it does confirm "by science" what
we've been saying.  I am disgusted to think that we "had" to expose moms to
something detrimental/sacrifice these infants in order to make a point.  But
exposing lab rats to ads and seeing if they would reduce brfdg obviously is
not possible...; ' ( yes, bad joke...
-----
>
> >
> >Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2000 11:35:55 -0800
> >Subject: Fwd: Research regarding Breastfeeding
> >> >
> >>
> >>Feb. 4, 2000    Contact: HRSA Press Office 301-443-3376
> >>Breastfeeding Is Adversely Affected by Prenatal Distribution
> >>of Formula Information, HRSA-Supported Study Shows
> >>Commercial advertising of infant formula has adverse effects on
> >>breastfeeding,
> >>says a HRSA-supported study published in the February 1 issue of the
journal
> >>Obstetrics and Gynecology.  The article, "Office Prenatal Formula
Advertising
> >>and Its Effects on Breastfeeding Patterns," is the first randomized,
> >>controlled
> >>study that evaluates whether a mother's choice to breastfeed is affected
by
> >>reading packaged promotional materials about formula feeding. It also
> >>examines the effect these materials have on a mother's long-term success
in
> >>breastfeeding. The three-year study was supported by a grant from HRSA's
> >>Maternal and Child Health Bureau. During their first prenatal visit to
> >>ViaHealth
> >>Rochester (N.Y.) General Hospital, 547 pregnant women were randomly
> >>assigned to receive an educational packet from a formula company or a
> >>packet without formula advertising. A follow-up survey of the women
found
> >>that prenatal exposure to the formula advertising significantly
increased
> >>early termination of breastfeeding. Researchers also noted significant
> >>declines in long-term breastfeeding among women reading the material
> >>whose breastfeeding goals were uncertain or were  aimed at nursing for
> >>fewer than three months. Cynthia R. Howard, M.D., M.P.H., pediatric
> >>director of the Mother Baby Unit at the hospital, was the study's lead
> >>author. Since women tend to make their infant-feeding decision before
> >>their third trimester of pregnancy, the researchers asserted, prenatal
> >>health care providers are in a good position to advise women about the
> >>benefits of breastfeeding. Giving out a formula company's information
> >>packet may seem like an endorsement of formula-feeding, they concluded.
> >>In addition, researchers claimed, the use of such materials is in
> >>violation of the World Health Organization's international code for
> >>marketing breast milk substitutes. The American Academy of Pediatrics
and
> >>the Public Health Service encourage breastfeeding as the best way to
> >>nourish an infant and help establish bonding between mother and baby.

 One of the goals of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services'
Healthy
> >>People 2010 Objectives is longer-term infant breastfeeding, at least up
> >>to six months.   ***  RAH!  It  is still in there!***

 The Rochester study strongly suggests that prenatal
> >>distribution of formula and formula information packets encourages
> >>mothers to limit the amount of time they breastfeed their infants.
> >>
> >>FYI, a press release from the Health Resources and Services
Administration
> >>from:  http://www.hrsa.gov/newsroom/NewsBriefs/2000/formula.htm
> >>Please pardon the cross-posting
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >Joanne P. Ikeda,MA,RD
> >Cooperative Extension Nutrition Education Specialist
> >Department of Nutritional Sciences
> >University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3104
> >
>

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