Marketing and child feeding
Kátia Galeão Brandt1, Giselia Alves Pontes da Silva2
1Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Centro de Ciências Médicas, Área Acadêmica de Pediatria, Recife, PE, Brazil; Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Centro de Ciências Médicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde da Criança e do Adolescente, Recife, PE, Brazil; Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Hospital das Clínicas, Serviço de Gastroenterologia Pediátrica, Recife, PE, Brazil.
Marketing of industrialized children's foods, particularly infant formulas, impacts breastfeeding and healthy eating. Health professionals must critically evaluate information to counter marketing strategies influencing pediatric guidance and long-term child health.
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Public Health
- Marketing Studies
Background:
- The industrialization of food led to marketing strategies for children's products, with infant formulas significantly impacting breastfeeding practices.
- International and national health organizations are developing strategies to regulate aggressive marketing of industrialized children's foods.
- Marketing tactics can influence healthcare professionals' advice and compromise healthy eating habits during critical developmental stages.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a narrative review on marketing strategies in child nutrition.
- To explore the implications of these marketing strategies for health professionals and children's health.
Main Methods:
- Searches were performed on PubMed, SciELO, and Google databases.
- Keywords included "child nutrition," "industrialized baby food," "infant formula," "breast milk," "breastfeeding," and "marketing."
- Relevant sources comprised original articles, reviews, institutional reports, and position documents.
Main Results:
- Marketing of industrialized foods, especially infant formulas, has historically influenced infant feeding practices.
- Commercial interests drive marketing strategies that can interfere with established scientific knowledge.
- There is a recognized need for interventions to limit the impact of marketing on child nutrition.
Conclusions:
- Health professionals, particularly pediatricians, must prioritize unbiased scientific information.
- Maintaining updated and critical knowledge is essential for healthcare providers to counteract marketing influences.
- Empowering professionals can help mitigate the negative effects of marketing on children's dietary practices.
