A new study has found that most of the health claims used to advertise baby formula worldwide lack rigorous scientific evidence. The researchers behind the study have called for breast milk substitutes to be sold in plain packaging. Last week, a group of doctors and scientists also called for a regulatory crackdown on the $55bn formula industry for what they claim is “predatory” marketing that exploits the fears of new parents to discourage them from breastfeeding. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months of an infant’s life. However, less than half of infants globally follow the recommendation. While researchers do not oppose infant formula as an option for mothers who cannot or choose not to breastfeed, they are against inappropriate marketing which provides misleading claims not backed by solid evidence.
