What is one consequence of aggressive promotion of infant formula?

Aggressive promotion of infant formula often leads to lower rates of breastfeeding initiation among mothers. When formula is heavily marketed, it can create a perception that breastfeeding is less desirable or that formula feeding is the norm. This can result in expecting mothers feeling less supported or encouraged to begin breastfeeding. The promotion of formula may also influence hospital practices, creating environments where formula feeding is encouraged over breastfeeding. Consequently, mothers may not receive adequate information, support, or encouragement to initiate breastfeeding, contributing to a decline in initiation rates.

In contrast, exclusive breastfeeding rates would typically decrease due to reliance on formula as mothers may opt for or switch to formula feeding, thinking it’s a better option for feeding their infants. Most often, aggressive formula marketing does not correlate with improved maternal health outcomes or enhanced support for nursing mothers, as these are generally associated with breastfeeding promotion initiatives rather than formula promotion.