Effect of Formula Milk Advertisements Published on Social Media on Breastfeeding

Authors : Şerife İrem Doner, Arzu Kul Uçtu

Pages : 29-38

Doi:10.5281/zenodo.11351370

View : 21 | Download : 19

Publication Date : 2024-06-13

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that infants should start breastfeeding within the first hour of life, be exclusively breastfed for 6 months, then receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods, and continue breastfeeding until 2 years of age or later. However, less than half of the world's infants are fed in accordance with WHO recommendations. When breastfeeding is not an option, infant formula is an acceptable alternative for up to 12 months. However, formula companies aggressively market the use of formula even when it is not necessary, which has a negative impact on breastfeeding. The aim of this review is to examine the effects of formula advertisements on breastfeeding in social media. Nowadays, with the widespread use of social media, pregnant women and mothers use social media as their primary source of information and are exposed to inappropriate and aggressive advertisements about formula. In addition, there is conflict among healthcare professionals over breastfeeding promotion as a result of direct interaction of formula companies with hospitals and healthcare professionals and the distribution of free samples. The decline in breastfeeding rates worldwide poses a global threat to maternal and infant health. There is an urgent need to protect mothers and their families against the negative effects of inappropriate promotion of breastmilk substitutes.
Keywords : Breastfeeding, Social Media, Formula formula