The conclusion is part of a study released today by the Directorate-General for Health (DGS) on the exposure of pregnant women and mothers to digital advertising of breast milk substitutes and complementary feeding products.

According to the document, to which the Lusa agency had access, the marketing of breast milk substitutes and complementary feeding products for babies has been pointed out as "one of the determinants of the low prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding up to six months".

This factor is relevant in Portugal, where the most recent data show that the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding up to six months, as recommended by the WHO, is only 22%, according to the DGS study.

About "73% of complementary feeding products do not meet the requirements of the WHO's Nutrient Profile and Promotion Model and, although most products are intended for children over six months, 19% of products have an indicated age for consumption under six months", the document warns.

"The main conclusion of this study is that most pregnant women and mothers are exposed to advertising for breast milk substitutes and baby food", stressed the director of the National Program for Healthy Eating (PNPAS) of the DGS.

Maria João Gregório told Lusa that the conclusions are cause for concern, considering that the current recommendation for the first six months is exclusive breastfeeding and, then, its maintenance in a complementary way up to 24 months.

"There is evidence (proof) that, in fact, these [commercial communication] strategies also play an important role in the breastfeeding rates that we have in our country, an indicator that has a far from satisfactory value", she stressed.

According to Maria João Gregório, the decision of mothers to breastfeed exclusively for up to six months is determined by multiple factors, but another study showed that women "exposed to marketing techniques for breast milk substitutes, such as free access to samples or discounts, are more likely to stop breastfeeding".

"We must be attentive to this issue and have a set of measures that can promote breastfeeding", warned the director of the national program of the DGS for healthy eating, recognizing that it is "much more difficult to regulate and monitor" the advertising of this type of products on digital platforms.

The results presented in this report "suggest the need to implement some actions that aim to reduce and/or improve the digital commercial communication of breast milk substitutes and complementary feeding foods for infants and young children", concludes the study.

Of the actions to be implemented, the document highlights the analysis of the existing legal framework and its respective weaknesses in comparison with the provisions of the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes and the WHO's model law for regulating the marketing of breast milk substitutes and complementary feeding foods.

In addition, it proposes a guide and awareness-raising actions on good practices of commercial communication in the digital environment aimed at digital content creators, in partnership with the Directorate-General for Consumer Affairs, with the aim of raising awareness of compliance with the aforementioned code and legal framework.

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