Health effects of infant feeding: Information for parents in leaflets and magazines in five European countries

Abstract

Parents’ decisions about whether to breastfeed their infant, and when to introduce complementary foods, are important public health issues. Breastfeeding has beneficial health effects and is widely promoted. Leaflets and magazine articles on infant feeding were collected in 2005, in five European countries (England, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Spain), and screened for statements that link feeding behaviours to infant health outcomes. A total of 127 leaflets contained 512 statements (0.38 / published page). Magazines contained approximately 1 article / month. Health outcomes were more intensively covered in England and Germany. Most statements referred to short term health implications. Lack of scientific agreement may underlie lack of cover of longer term health effects. Scope may exist to promote improved infant feeding practices by increasing the quantity and specificity of messages about health effects. Further research is required to evaluate the impact of alternative means of providing information on infant feeding practices

The effect of diet on the physical and mental development of children: views of parents and teachers in four European countries

“…However, physical outcomes for children were viewed as important by more parents and teachers in our sample of countries than children’s mental development and performance. Benefit may arise from increasing awareness of the potential role of diet and nutrition in both brain development and cognitive functioning of children through increasing the quantity and clarity of consumer information ( 27 ) , particularly targeting groups with the responsibility of caring for and educating children. Parents in particular are important gatekeepers to a child’s diet and central to the environment in which most children’s eating habits are developed ( 28 ) .…”

Importance of mental performance in parental choice of food for children aged 4–10 years: a study in four European countries

“…Brain development and cognition are important for learning, memory, information processing, reasoning, behaviour and many other functions that affect an individual’s life achievements and well-being. Benefit may arise from increasing awareness of the potential role of diet and nutrition in both the brain development and cognitive functioning of children through increasing the quantity and clarity of consumer information ( 40 ) . Parents in particular are important gatekeepers to a child’s diet and central to the environment in which most children’s eating habits are developed ( 41 ) .…”