It Simply Just Isn’t Right
Posted July 27th, 2010 by Sarah FrancisIt simply isn’t right to take advantage of new parents when they’re vulnerable.
But baby formula companies are doing just that. And this is especially wrong because empty infant formula advertising claims undermine evidence-based messages like “breastfeeding is best for babies.” This has got to be fixed, and we have a chance right now to change the way these infant formula companies and other food manufacturers do business so that parents get the facts, and not just empty hype on labels.
“All parents want what’s best for their babies, and we want them to feel empowered to make an informed feeding decision at one of the most vulnerable and precious times of their lives—the birth of a new baby,” explains Megan Renner, Executive Director of the United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC). “The marketing of artificial infant formula has been shown to undermine breastfeeding intention and success. Independent review of ‘functional ingredients’ will go a long way towards providing parents with the information they have a right to receive.”
Right now we have a chance to stop empty hype on formula labels.
Congress is debating the renewal of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) through the Child Nutrition Act. As the re-authorization of the Child Nutrition Act moves through the Senate, we’re urging Senators to also include a review of the “functional ingredients” in baby formula and other foods WIC offers. Functional ingredients are things like prebiotics, nucleotides, and others ingredients that are marketed as improving a baby’s health. Companies add these “functional ingredients” as a way to command higher prices and make catchy health claims. Initial independent studies have shown very mixed results as to whether so-called “functional ingredients” actually do anything for the health of our kids.
Our federal government carries enormous weight in this formula fiasco because half of all U.S. infants participate in the WIC program.[2] WIC’s mission is to provide healthy foods, breastfeeding support and nutrition counseling to low-income pregnant women, infants, and young kids. To that end, WIC gives vouchers for specific foods that qualifying families can use in their local grocery stores.
The government has estimated that these “functional ingredients” cost WIC $91 million annually. Meanwhile, front-line WIC providers, who work hard to promote and support breastfeeding, are very concerned that moms are increasingly asking WIC for the formula “that’s just like breastmilk.” And that’s why it’s so important for USDA to get expert advice based on an independent, systematic review of the research, which will be published for all consumers to see. An independent review of “functional ingredients” could save the taxpayers and the average new parent a lot of money.
Unfortunately, we’re up against the formula companies in this fight, and as you can imagine they’re pretty powerful. That’s why as parents we need to be even louder!
Join me and tell tell your Senator that the Child Nutrition Act should include independent scientific reviews of formula and other foods so parents can make the best choices for their infants:
http://action.momsrising.org/cms/letter/WIC-2010/
Together we can be a powerful voice for moms and families.
P.S. Thanks to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Center for Science and the Public Interest for all the great work they do on this issue
P.P.S. Check out what the California WIC Association is doing to improve breastfeeding policies.
9 Comments
July 28, 2010 at 6:44 pm by Stephen WeissI think the WIC program should re-evaluate their policy of providing infants formula without a documented medical need. It is like providing white rice or white bread to clients because they don’t want to eat whole grains.
You also can’t blame formula companies for promoting their products with methods that are proven to work. The regulations for advertising may also need to be re-evaluated.
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July 28, 2010 at 5:49 pm by Dianne Esplin, RDIf I were artistic and clever, I’d design a breastfeeding tee to parody all those formula health claims while promoting breastfeeding. Any takers?
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July 28, 2010 at 11:07 am by FaniaIt is very important that this debate not become about breastfeeding at all. This debate is about evidence and truth in marketing. If you claim your product is better because it contains a chemically derived imitation of human DHA and then you charge the American government more money for it, and refuse to offer the product without the expensive additive, we’re gonna need to see some science. And not your ‘fake philip-morris scientists find smoking to be refreshing and good for your health’ science.
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July 27, 2010 at 6:15 pm by Laurie TrueThe good news is that breastfeeding rates are dramatically increasing among WIC mothers! For the first time in history, we are seeing more moms choose to exclusively breastfeed their newborns!
The bad news is that infant formula marketing has intensified among WIC mothers — one wonders why — and the “new, improved” brands with the unproven additives are causing confusion and undermining moms’ confidence and determination to stick with breastfeeding.
This ain’t right!
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Anita Reply:
July 27th, 2010 at 11:48 pm
@Laurie- Thanks so much for your insight on WIC mothers! We really appreciate hearing from you.
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Regardless of whether or not you have children, formula use inevitably costs taxpayers money. We have finally come to the time when research can be done on adults’ health and the differences between those who were formula fed as an infant and those who were breastfed. Breastfeeding decreases obesity, blood pressure and a myriad of other issues as an adult. One example of a study that came out Dec. 2009 discovered that women who received soy formula as an infant have a higher chance of developing uterine fibroids.
We have tried to intervene with nature so much that we are ultimately causing more problems. Long story short…breastmilk improves your life-long health. Healthier babies = healthier adults = less $$ spent on healthcare.
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July 27, 2010 at 3:49 pm by WIC Nutritionist@ Michelle,
I am a Nutritionist at WIC, and YOU (and Me) as a taxpayer are already paying for this very expensive formula. Ever since this DHA/ARA ingredients were added, you (we) have been paying more, as well as anyone (mom/family) you know who is not on WIC and buys formula.
Its not so simple to tell moms just to feed breastmilk to their babies. If that were the case we wouldn’t need to do this. This is about Formula companies misleading mothers (WIC and Non-WIC moms ALIKE)!
Formula is not the enemy especially if a mom who’d planned on nursing suddenly delivers at 25 weeks and has to supplement with formula. Not to mention the MD’s who routinely tell moms who can’t pump at work to go straight to WIC…..This about babies…Promoting breastfeeding promotes the lowering of taxes…..But your logic is oversimplifiedm, as there are many moms who find themselves unable (for many reasons) to nurse.
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July 27, 2010 at 12:51 pm by Sarah Francis@ Michelle- Thanks for your comments! No, this review of “functional ingredients” is expected to actually save tax payer dollars. Check out this Washington Post article from June 2010: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/13/AR2010071304634.html
And on stopping vouchers for formula, that would be tricky what happens when a mom is suddenly sick, can’t breastfeed and has run out of extra pumped breastmilk? Or has to suddenly work extra shifts and can’t pump enough milk?
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July 27, 2010 at 12:17 pm by MichelleWill this cause formula costs rise? Or are you suggesting that the study be paid for by the Federal Government and passed on to tax payers who may not have children or who breastfeed only? And since this is mainly a focus on women on WIC, either way it will burden the tax payer; pay for the independent never-ending study or pay a higher cost of formula given to the women on WIC vouchers. Why not stop WIC vouchers for formula unless it is proven that a mother simply cannot breast feed? If a mother wants formula “just like breast milk”, they should feed their babies breast milk.
I admit that I have not done a lot of study on this, but it seems like a fine line and a lot of taxpayer money.
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