Jakarta – Excessive infant formula promotion may badly hamper ongoing efforts to boost the six-month-exclusive breastfeeding program needed to protect newborn babies, an activist says.
Mia Sutanto, the Indonesian Breastfeeding Mothers' Association (IBMA) chairwoman, said that prolonged infant formula promotion had negatively influenced Indonesian women in deciding whether they had to exclusively breastfeed their newborns. "Media advertisements cause low awareness among Indonesian women on the importance of breastfeeding," she told The Jakarta Post.
According to the Indonesia Health and Demographic Survey (SDKI) report in 2007, only 32 percent of children under six years had exclusive breastfeeding from their mothers, decreasing by six points compared to the same survey in 2003.
Indonesian children who were breastfed during their first two months of life reached only 48 percent in 2007, sharply decreasing from 64 percent in 2003. About 65 percent of total newborn babies in 2007 had received supplemental food, including formula milk, during their first three days of life.
"Most people believe that infant formulas are sterile products so they can use it to replace breastmilk. In fact, they cannot use it without risks," she said.
The recent controversy of formula milk containing enterobacter sakazakii bacteria, originally uncovered by the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) in 2008, has caused concern.
Almaidha Sitompul (39), a news producer of a television news station, said she had to feed her first child, Dzaky Adelio Bayanaka, when he was two days old.
"Until the second day, I still could not breastfeed my child. Then, a nurse suggested I give him a milk formula saying that he would suffer from jaundice if he didn't receive adequate food intake," she said, adding that she later had to find a suitable milk product for her child who suffered from severe diarrhea soon after consuming the formula.
"They should have made more effort to help me breastfeed my baby instead of simply suggesting formula milk."
For Almaidha, the bacteria-tainted formula controversy should have been used a starting point to optimize breastfeeding.
Ayi Jembarwati, the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital's marketing and development Director, said exclusive breastfeeding could not be replaced by formula milk.
"Breastmilk is the best food for babies, and we should give our babies the best," she said.
In some cases, she said, newborn babies should receive a supplemental food intake from milk formula if they experienced medical conditions. "It should be completely based on medical evidence," she said.
Many scientific studies have shown that formula milk can cause illnesses such as diarrhea, diabetes and meningitis, which can lead to death. Babies consuming formula milk may also suffer from vitamin and mineral, and other nutritious substance deficiencies, such as fatty acids, which are vital to brain development.
Mia said her association had received many complaints on unethical infant nutrition promotion.
Formula milk for infants and toddlers is a multi-billion dollar business. Euromoney reported that the formula sales in Asia are projected to grow by 37 percent in 2012. Indonesia is the second-largest market for formula products in Asia after China.
According to the 1997 Health Minister Regulation, baby food manufacturers can advertise their infant formula products for babies aged between 0 to 6 months and advanced formula products for 6 to 12 months old infants only through media issued by the ministry.
Health Ministry is currently drafting a regulation to make breast-feeding mandatory, including proposing a ban for advertisements of formula products given to less than 12 months old infants. (ebf)