REPORTS AND BRIEFINGS
Interference in public health policy : Baby food and Tobacco tactics.
Abstract
Despite countries’ commitments to improve nutrition, starting with the protection of breastfeeding, aggressive marketing of breastmilk substitutes continues to promote their indiscriminate use. The baby food industry appears to use similar interference tactics as the tobacco industry to influence public health, promote their products and expand their markets.
Learning from the tobacco experience, this paper assesses whether the baby food industry uses any of the six tobacco industry interference tactics recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and summarizes examples of documented evidence.
We conclude that the baby food industry uses all six tactics: (1) manoeuvring to hijack the political and legislative process; (2) exaggerating economic importance of the industry; (3) manipulating public opinion to gain appearance of respectability; (4) fabricating support through front groups; (5) discrediting proven science; and (6) intimidating governments with litigation. There is abundant anecdotal evidence. Published evidence is limited and varies by tactic. Examples of interference are provided for the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Turkey, Ecuador, Hong Kong, Mexico and the United Kingdom, and most for Tactic 3.
Interference in public health policies shows commonalities between the two industries. The tobacco control movement offers a useful framework for classifying and addressing interference with public policy by the baby food industry. Revealing the depth and extent of interference used by the baby food industry is critical if countries are to counter interference and implement commitments to improve nutrition.
________________________________________
Multi-stakeholderism
Multi-stakeholder Partnerships: What are the risks? The case of Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN)
Dialogue or engineering of consent? Opportunities and risks of talking to industry by Judith Richter
For those interested in SUN – this evaluation about the SUN Business Network is revealing – showing no evidence of positive impact on those they claim to benefit.
__________________________________________
THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY
Taking action now, worldwide – and from birth. First we need to talk about:
- global heating – not global warming
- climate emergency – not climate change
The UK and Ireland officially declared an environment and climate emergency in May 2019, followed by Canada declaring a national climate emergency in June 2019.
CLICK HERE for the carbon footprint report.
CLICK HERE FOR GREENFEEDING AND OTHER BRIEFINGS
The carbon footprint of breastmilk substitutes in comparison with breastfeeding
Johan O. Karlsson, Tara Garnett, Nigel C. Rollins, Elin Roos
_______________________
MATERNITY LEGISLATION
IBFAN Position Paper on Maternity Protection at Work.
Thanks to Elisabeth Sterken and Maryse Arendt for this work.
_______________________
CORPORATIONS IN SCHOOLS
Tackling Obesity Schools Feb 12
Seeing through the Spin (Education pack)
__________________________
WHISTLEBLOWERS
EMERGENCIES. Operational Guidance V3 OCT 2017
INFANT MILKS – FIRST STEPS NUTRITION
First Steps Nutrition Trust Briefings
Information for Food Banks, supporting pregnant women and families with infants.