@article {3640, title = {Advertisements of follow-on formula and their perception by pregnant women and mothers in Italy.}, journal = {Arch Dis Child}, volume = {100}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Apr}, pages = {323-8}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: To assess how follow-on formula milks for infants aged 6-12 months are presented to and understood by mothers.

DESIGN: A quantitative and qualitative cross-sectional study including (1) an analysis of advertisements in three magazines for parents; (2) in-depth semistructured qualitative interviews to pregnant women on their perception of two advertisements for follow-on formula and (3) self-administered questionnaires for mothers to explore their exposure to and perception of formula advertisements.

PARTICIPANTS: Eighty pregnant women 32-36 weeks of gestation with no previous children and 562 mothers of children <3 years old.

SETTING: Maternal and child health centres in eight cities of Italy.

RESULTS: Advertisements of formula (n=89) represented about 7\% of all advertisements in the three magazines, the majority (58\%) being for follow-on formula. Advertisements were parent-oriented, aimed at helping parents solve health problems of their babies or at eliciting good feelings, or both. The qualitative interviews to pregnant women showed inability to define the advertised products at first glance due to the ambiguity of the numeral 2 and the presumed age of the portrayed baby; this inability did not disappear after carefully viewing the advertisements and reading the text. When asked in the self-administered questionnaires whether they had ever come across advertisements of infant formula, 81\% of mothers reported that they had, despite the legal inexistence of such advertisements, and 65\% thought that it was for a product to be used from birth.

CONCLUSIONS: Advertisements of follow-on formula are perceived by pregnant women and mothers as promoting infant formula.

}, keywords = {Adult, Advertising as Topic, Attitude to Health, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Infant, Infant Formula, Italy, Mothers, Perception, Periodicals as Topic, Pregnancy, Pregnant Women, Reading, Surveys and Questionnaires, Young Adult}, issn = {1468-2044}, doi = {10.1136/archdischild-2014-306996}, author = {Cattaneo, Adriano and Pani, Paola and Carletti, Claudia and Guidetti, Margherita and Mutti, Valentina and Guidetti, Cecilia and Knowles, Alessandra} } @article {1839, title = {Academy of breastfeeding medicine founder{\textquoteright}s lecture 2011: inequalities and inequities in breastfeeding: an international perspective.}, journal = {Breastfeed Med}, volume = {7}, year = {2012}, month = {2012 Feb}, pages = {3-9}, abstract = {

Breastfeeding is the biological norm for infant feeding but is also a social construct. As such, its rates and practices are determined by the same social determinants that shape health inequalities and inequities. In the past 30 years, several reports have drawn attention to the changing pattern of breastfeeding inequalities across countries and population groups. Breastfeeding rates tend to fall and rise following a similar pattern everywhere, although at different times and speed. The role of women within families and societies, the routines of maternity hospitals and other healthcare services, and the pressure exerted by the baby food industry are among the factors that influence the time and speed of changes in breastfeeding rates and practices across countries and population groups. Inequities (i.e., inequalities considered unfair and avoidable by reasonable action) can be redressed by interventions for the protection, promotion, and support of breastfeeding. Evidence-based and quality-implemented support and promotion activities, if applied without an equity lens, may increase inequities. Activities for the protection of breastfeeding (e.g., implementation and enforcement of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes; legislations, regulations, and policies to remove obstacles and barriers to good-quality breastfeeding support and to protect women and mothers in the workforce; elimination of obstacles and barriers to breastfeeding anywhere, anyhow, and anytime mothers want) apply to all women and are less dependent on take up by the target population. If well designed and enforced, protective interventions contribute to reducing inequalities and inequities and to delivering promotion and support activities more effectively.

}, keywords = {Breast Feeding, Cross-Cultural Comparison, Female, Health Policy, Health Promotion, Healthcare Disparities, Humans, Infant Food, Infant, Newborn, Internationality, Maternal Health Services, Mothers, Pregnancy, Socioeconomic Factors}, issn = {1556-8342}, doi = {10.1089/bfm.2012.9999}, author = {Cattaneo, Adriano} }