Abstract
BackgroundThe defining event in the area of infant feeding is the aggressive marketing of infant formula in the developing world by transnational companies in the 1970s. This practice shattered the trust of the global health community in the private sector, culminated in a global boycott of Nestle products and has extended to distrust of all commercial efforts to improve infant and young child nutrition. The lack of trust is a key barrier along the critical path to optimal infant and young child nutrition in the developing world.DiscussionTo begin to bridge this gap in trust, we developed a set of shared principles based on the following ideals: Integrity; Solidarity; Justice; Equality; Partnership, cooperation, coordination, and communication; Responsible Activity; Sustainability; Transparency; Private enterprise and scale-up; and Fair trading and consumer choice. We hope these principles can serve as a platform on which various parties in the in the infant and young child nutrition arena, can begin a process of authentic trust-building that will ultimately result in coordinated efforts amongst parties.SummaryA set of shared principles of ethics for infant and young child nutrition in the developing world could catalyze the scale-up of low cost, high quality, complementary foods for infants and young children, and eventually contribute to the eradication of infant and child malnutrition in the developing world.
Highlights
The defining event in the area of infant feeding is the aggressive marketing of infant formula in the developing world by transnational companies in the 1970s
Summary: A set of shared principles of ethics for infant and young child nutrition in the developing world could catalyze the scale-up of low cost, high quality, complementary foods for infants and young children, and eventually contribute to the eradication of infant and child malnutrition in the developing world
The lack of private sector participation in this area is closely linked to the issue of trust, the lack of which is a key barrier along the critical path to optimal infant and young child nutrition in the developing world
Summary
Benefits of complementary feeding for infants aged 6-24 months The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life, and continued breastfeeding until two years of age. Commentary The disregard of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes by some industry players, and the disregard of evidence-based science for political reasons in some settings [35] highlight the need to include a guiding principle on responsible activity This principle is intended to affirm respect for the rule of law and other relevant governance instruments. Principle nine Private enterprise and scale-up We acknowledge a potential role of private enterprise, including community entrepreneurs, in scaling-up production of low-cost, high quality complementary foods and related products for infants and young children in developing countries in achieving our common goal. In pursuit of our common goal we recognize the consumer's right to receive appropriate information to enable him/her to make an informed choice on low-cost, high quality complementary foods and related products for infants and young children.
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