Comments on: Re: How MSF Is Trying to Get the Right Foods to Children to Prevent Malnutrition http://www.starvedforattention.org/blog/2010/08/03/re-how-msf-is-trying-to-get-the-right-foods-to-children-to-prevent-malnutrition/ 195 million stories of malnutrition. Rewrite the story. Fri, 30 Dec 2011 19:58:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Anne http://www.starvedforattention.org/blog/2010/08/03/re-how-msf-is-trying-to-get-the-right-foods-to-children-to-prevent-malnutrition/comment-page-1/#comment-3265 Anne Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:49:44 +0000 http://www.starvedforattention.org/blog/?p=509#comment-3265 "Breast milk is all a child needs for the first 6 months, but at that point, all infants need quality complementary foods that provide quality protein, fats and vitamins/minerals: particularly calcium, zinc and iron [breast milk cannot meet babies' requirements for these]" This statement is unfortunately wrong and at the heart of why some "medical aid programmes" do more damage than good in developing countries, spreading the myth that mother's milk is not enough and pressuring mothers into adding foods that can lead to diarrhoea and respiratory illnesses in young infants. Breastmilk is very very very high in fat, and though lower in iron than some other foods, because of enzymes it contains it is much more easily absorbed by the body. So even if it had only half the iron concentration of a comparable food, it would still meet the iron needs just as well. The main reason for malnutrition and infections is the belief that other foods need to be added quick. I wish doctors were more educated on this issue so that they could really help health outcomes for the children. Unfortunately, many doctors rely on infant formula propaganda that is aimed at selling breast milk substitute to the billions of people who can't afford it. Unfortunately, well meaning but uninformed doctors are helping them with their agenda. “Breast milk is all a child needs for the first 6 months, but at that point, all infants need quality complementary foods that provide quality protein, fats and vitamins/minerals: particularly calcium, zinc and iron [breast milk cannot meet babies' requirements for these]”

This statement is unfortunately wrong and at the heart of why some “medical aid programmes” do more damage than good in developing countries, spreading the myth that mother’s milk is not enough and pressuring mothers into adding foods that can lead to diarrhoea and respiratory illnesses in young infants. Breastmilk is very very very high in fat, and though lower in iron than some other foods, because of enzymes it contains it is much more easily absorbed by the body. So even if it had only half the iron concentration of a comparable food, it would still meet the iron needs just as well.

The main reason for malnutrition and infections is the belief that other foods need to be added quick. I wish doctors were more educated on this issue so that they could really help health outcomes for the children. Unfortunately, many doctors rely on infant formula propaganda that is aimed at selling breast milk substitute to the billions of people who can’t afford it. Unfortunately, well meaning but uninformed doctors are helping them with their agenda.

]]> By: lizzie http://www.starvedforattention.org/blog/2010/08/03/re-how-msf-is-trying-to-get-the-right-foods-to-children-to-prevent-malnutrition/comment-page-1/#comment-1200 lizzie Wed, 20 Oct 2010 12:51:11 +0000 http://www.starvedforattention.org/blog/?p=509#comment-1200 Is the whole plumy nut magic bullet response to malnutrition a money grab for companies like nutriset? The resources put to the purchase of improving the rates of exclusive and sustained breastfeeding, nutrition education using local culturally appropriate foods to improve complementary feeding, subsidized agricultural inputs and other sustainable solutions to reducing and preventing malnutrition. Additionally much malnutrition is triggered by infectious diseases such as diarhoeal disease, and malaria and parasites. The eradication of malaria and the treatment and prevention of parasites in young children will go along way to reducing undernutrition and malnutrution. Is the whole plumy nut magic bullet response to malnutrition a money grab for companies like nutriset? The resources put to the purchase of improving the rates of exclusive and sustained breastfeeding, nutrition education using local culturally appropriate foods to improve complementary feeding, subsidized agricultural inputs and other sustainable solutions to reducing and preventing malnutrition. Additionally much malnutrition is triggered by infectious diseases such as diarhoeal disease, and malaria and parasites. The eradication of malaria and the treatment and prevention of parasites in young children will go along way to reducing undernutrition and malnutrution.

]]> By: Olga http://www.starvedforattention.org/blog/2010/08/03/re-how-msf-is-trying-to-get-the-right-foods-to-children-to-prevent-malnutrition/comment-page-1/#comment-1140 Olga Sat, 16 Oct 2010 14:20:09 +0000 http://www.starvedforattention.org/blog/?p=509#comment-1140 I can't comment properly because I am writing from a mobile phone. I'd urge the interested persons to read on the facts provided by the WHO and Unicef regarding the importance of breastfeeding in emergency situations. All of the elements the interviewed assumes breastmilk lacks after the first 6 months simply are incorrect (except for iron). Too many interests regarding children (mal)nutrition, too many people getting profit out of it. I can’t comment properly because I am writing from a mobile phone. I’d urge the interested persons to read on the facts provided by the WHO and Unicef regarding the importance of breastfeeding in emergency situations.

All of the elements the interviewed assumes breastmilk lacks after the first 6 months simply are incorrect (except for iron).

Too many interests regarding children (mal)nutrition, too many people getting profit out of it.

]]> By: Saleh http://www.starvedforattention.org/blog/2010/08/03/re-how-msf-is-trying-to-get-the-right-foods-to-children-to-prevent-malnutrition/comment-page-1/#comment-1041 Saleh Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:42:26 +0000 http://www.starvedforattention.org/blog/?p=509#comment-1041 i'm studying medicine in Armenia and i really wanted to help MSF from the beginning but i don't know how and i don't even know where is the MSF office in Yerevan!! how can i find that out?? i’m studying medicine in Armenia and i really wanted to help MSF from the beginning but i don’t know how and i don’t even know where is the MSF office in Yerevan!! how can i find that out??

]]> By: Ronel Chakma http://www.starvedforattention.org/blog/2010/08/03/re-how-msf-is-trying-to-get-the-right-foods-to-children-to-prevent-malnutrition/comment-page-1/#comment-490 Ronel Chakma Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:20:19 +0000 http://www.starvedforattention.org/blog/?p=509#comment-490 According to you "Breast milk is all a child needs for the first 6 months" (which is also known to us) but I would like to know what are you doing for the infants who are not having breast milk at all or just having too little (insufficient) since birth ? (In every society there are some mothers who do not have breast milk at all or have insufficient and it is natuarally after delivering a baby. Besides, there are many mothers who die during delivering baby particularly in 3rd world countries. According to you “Breast milk is all a child needs for the first 6 months” (which is also known to us) but I would like to know what are you doing for the infants who are not having breast milk at all or just having too little (insufficient) since birth ?

(In every society there are some mothers who do not have breast milk at all or have insufficient and it is natuarally after delivering a baby. Besides, there are many mothers who die during delivering baby particularly in 3rd world countries.

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