World Breastfeeding Week Starts Aug. 1 in the Americas

Washington, D.C., July 31, 2006 (PAHO)—Countries throughout the Americas are joining together to observe World Breastfeeding Week, which this year celebrates the 25th anniversary of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. The week of August 1-7 has the theme, "Code Watch: 25 Years of Protecting Breastfeeding," highlighting the importance of national enforceable Code legislation and providing examples of successful action.

World Breastfeeding Week, observed the first week of August every year by the countries, the Pan American Health Organization, and other agencies, aims to spread information globally about the importance of breastfeeding for maternal and child health. In the Americas, ministries of health, non-governmental organizations, and families are observing the week in a variety of ways, including conferences, parades, art shows, and special events.

The International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes was adopted by the World Health Assembly in response to concern that inappropriate commercial marketing of infant formula was causing a large number of infant deaths. It provides the overarching framework for the protection of breastfeeding by regulating the marketing of all breast-milk substitutes and infant feeding utensils. It is as important to legislate, monitor, and-- when necessary-- sanction violators today, as when it was adopted a quarter a century ago.

In the intervening years, the evidence base for the Code has only grown stronger. Thousands of scientific articles have demonstrated the life-saving benefits of breastfeeding, even in the most affluent environments. These articles have also shown the protective effects of breastfeeding in reducing morbidity, needless suffering, and health care costs related to diarrhea, acute respiratory infection, otitis media, some childhood cancers, and other illnesses. More recently, the research has focused on the benefits of breastfeeding for preventing devastating long-term chronic conditions such as obesity, type-1 diabetes, and ulcerative colitis, and promoting higher IQ. The recent Child Survival series in the Lancet highlighted that breastfeeding was the single most effective preventive intervention for preventing infant death and, and therefore, for achieving the MDG for infant survival.

Breastfeeding also protects maternal health by helping women to lose weight after giving birth, which is increasingly important in the context of the global obesity epidemic. It also helps reduce the risk of premenopausal breast cancer and replenish maternal iron stores.

The knowledge that HIV can be transmitted through breastmilk has only increased the relevance of the Code, which is to ensure that infant feeding decisions are made in the context of good information and in the absence of commercial pressures. Government programs to purchase and provide infant formula for HIV-positive mothers who choose not to breastfeed do not contradict any measures of the Code or the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative. Both can be fully implemented without any changes in language or requirements and are important to ensure that breastfeeding is protected, prompted, and supported for the vast majority of women who are HIV negative or of unknown status.

Many countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are role models for Code implementation and monitoring. These countries also sanction manufacturers that would put their economic considerations before the survival of the most vulnerable citizens of our global world.

PAHO takes pride in joining with the Code's many stakeholders: sister UN agencies, Member States, bi-lateral organizations, consumer organizations, communities, families and mothers and babies to work to ensure the ongoing adoption, implementation, and monitoring of this unique and remarkable global framework for breastfeeding protection.

Additional links:

• World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA)
• World Breastfeeding Week
• Perspectives in Health magazine: Rescuing the Art of Breastfeeding

PAHO, founded in 1902, works with all the countries of the Americas to improve the health and raise the quality of life of their peoples. It also serves as the Regional Office for the Americas of WHO.