The WHO code is widely violated and needs monitoring and supporting

Papers p 1117

In all societies breast feeding is one of the most important measures to improve child health. An important component of the global effort to protect breast feeding is the WHO's international code of marketing of breast milk substitutes. In this week's issue an interagency group on breast feeding monitoring produces compelling evidence that the code is widely violated (p 1117).1

The World Health Organisation estimates that 1.5 million deaths a year could be prevented by effective breast feeding protection.2 A recent systematic review estimated that in a low income country with a postneonatal mortality rate of 90 per 1000 children, artificial feeding would produce an excess of postneonatal deaths per million births ranging from 11 290 (13%) to 112 900 (59%) at prevalences of artificial feeding at 6 months of 10% and 100% respectively.3 In the industrialised world a failure to breast feed increases the risk of childhood diseases,4 impairs child development,5 and may increase the risk of adult disease.6

The international code, devised in 1981, reaffirmed in 1996, and endorsed by the manufacturers, was developed to protect mothers and …