Fall 2010
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In the News |
Healthy People 2010 Breastfeeding Initiation Goal Reached, More Efforts Needed to Improve Duration RatesIn September, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued the 2010 United States Breastfeeding Report Card which describes state-by-state data on breastfeeding rates. According to the CDC, “the most recent CDC data show that 3 out of every 4 new mothers in the U.S. now starts out breastfeeding. The U.S. has now met the Healthy People 2010 national objective for breastfeeding initiation. However, rates of breastfeeding at 6 and 12 months as well as rates of exclusive breastfeeding at 3 and 6 months remain stagnant and low.” The IFC is pleased that, through a concerted effort by the health community, government, and industry, recorded breastfeeding rates in the U.S. have steadily increased during the past decade and that the Healthy People 2010 goal for breastfeeding initiation has now been met. Additionally, a closer review of the data reveals that subgroups of the population have achieved the breastfeeding goals for 3, 6, and 12 months as well. For example, for the HP 2010 breastfeeding goal to increase the proportion of mothers who breastfeed their babies at 6 months to 50%, six subgroups of women met this goal:
For the goal to increase the proportion of mother who exclusively breastfeed their babies at 6 months to 17%, five subgroups met this goal:
Further, there is substantial regional variability in the data, with many states achieving the HP 2010 breastfeeding goals. For example, 15 states achieved the HP 2010 breastfeeding goal of 25% of mothers breastfeeding their babies at 12 months of age and 17 states achieved the goal of 40% of mothers exclusively breastfeeding their babies at 3 months of age. Ten states achieved all five breastfeeding objectives. Although breastfeeding initiation rates are at an all-time high, there is still much work to be done to increase breastfeeding duration rates in the U.S. Efforts intended to have a real impact on improving breastfeeding duration rates must focus on the largest barrier women face when continuing to breastfeed – returning to work. Research shows that the need to return to work after having a child is a significant barrier to continued breastfeeding for women in the U.S. In fact, according to a 2008 U.S. Census Report, 41% of first-time moms return to work within less than three months of giving birth (Johnson 2008). For many working mothers-especially those in hourly positions, the lack of workplace support for breastfeeding may force them to reduce/abandon their breastfeeding efforts. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women now hold more than 51 percent of managerial and professional jobs – up from 26% in 1980. Of the 15 job categories projected to grow the most in the next decade, 13 are occupied primarily by women. And for every two men who get a college degree this year, three women will do the same. In addition, research shows that mothers represent the primary breadwinners or co-breadwinners in almost two-thirds of American families. Yet despite the rising number of working mothers, many companies have failed to adopt “baby-friendly” policies. Survey data from the Society for Human Resource Management study (2007) showed that only a quarter of U.S. employers (26%) offer work place support programs for breastfeeding women. Even with newly enacted laws that require paid breaks for breastfeeding mothers and a clean, sanitary place for milk expression, that should help encourage increased breastfeeding rates, additional workplace programs will need to be implemented as well in order to increase breastfeeding duration rates. AOAC Stakeholder Panel on Infant Formula and Adult Nutritionals Addresses Performance Requirements for Priority NutrientsAs earlier reported, in April 2010, the IFC and the International Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) launched a project to establish voluntary, consensus standard method performance requirements (SMPRs) for priority nutrients in infant formula and adult nutritionals. The first formal meeting of the Stakeholder Panel on Infant Formula and Adult Nutritionals (SPIFAN) took place September 25 during AOAC’s Annual Meeting in Orlando, FL. Over 75 experts from industry, academia, regulatory bodies, Contract Research Organizations, and technology providers attended the meeting, which focused on Vitamins A, D, and B12, as well as Folic Acid, and Inositol (SMPRs will eventually be developed and published for at least 20 nutrients). Working Groups, which will develop and present SMPRs for the first five priority nutrients back to the SPIFAN in April 2011, are scheduled to meet in November. Once SMPRs are published, they can be translated into reference methods that will be validated and published as Official AOAC Methods which will be proposed for acceptance into the Codex Infant Formula Standard. The new methods will address deficiencies in current methods and should be helpful to resolve disputes ibetween country regulators and manufacturers regarding infant and adult nutritionals testing. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2012. Efforts are also underway to approach the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) about this project in order to help ensure global acceptance of the SMPRs and resulting methods. Senator Feinstein Considers Introduction of BPA Amendment into U.S. Food Safety BillFor the past several months, California Senator Diane Feinstein (D) has been considering an amendment to S.510, the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010, that would ban certain children’s products containing BPA, including baby bottles and sippy cups containing BPA (within six months of enactment), and baby food and infant formula containers containing BPA (within two years). In addition, the amendment would require the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue a safety assessment of BPA by December 31, 2012 for all products containing BPA. S.510 is not expected to be taken up prior to the November elections, but will be one of three priorities once the Senate returns for a lame-duck session. Senator Feinstein’s position on BPA was not shared by other California legislators, where a state bill prohibiting infant formula and other products containing BPA failed for the third straight year. FAO/WHO to Convene Expert Meeting to Review Toxicological and Health Aspects of BPAIn November, Canada will host a Joint Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) / World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Meeting to review toxicological and health aspects of BPA. The meeting, scheduled to take place in Ottawa, is jointly supported by Health Canada, the European Food Safety Authority, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and the US Food and Drug Administration. The purpose of the meeting is to analyze the available scientific data on BPA and provide an updated description of potential human health risks associated with BPA exposure. In addition, the Expert Panel will likely consider setting a Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) which could then be adopted by global governing bodies. A list of meeting objectives and expected outcomes are available through Health Canada's website. In conjunction with the Expert Meeting, FAO and WHO have scheduled a Stakeholder Meeting for November 1, 2010 to gather technical data and comments from industry and other interested parties. More information on the Stakeholder and Expert Meetings can be found on the WHO website. EFSA Prepares to Announce Opinion on BPAOn September 30, the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) Panel on food contact materials, enzymes, flavourings and processing aids (CEF) issued its "Scientific Opinion on Bisphenol A: evaluation of a study investigating its neurodevelopmental toxicity, review of recent scientific literature on its toxicity and advice on the Danish risk assessment of Bisphenol A." CEF notes the opinion is in response to requests by the European Commission to evaluate the Stump et al. study of developmental neurotoxicity in rats, the impact of recent BPA literature on the EFSA Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) of 0.05 mg/kg body weight/day, and the recent Danish risk assessment that resulted in a ban of BPA in food contact materials for infants 0-3 years of age. Regarding the Stump et al. study, CEF concludes “the study supports the previously identified NOAEL of 5 mg/kg bw/day. However, the Panel considered that this study was inconclusive and is of limited value in the ongoing risk assessment of BPA.” Regarding recent BPA literature, CEF concludes: “Because of the lack of a common clearly defined mode of action of BPA at low doses, the toxicological relevance of the BPA effects described cannot be evaluated and the results cannot be taken into consideration for derivation of a TDI. While low dose effects of BPA are reported for some biochemical changes the Panel is not aware of any clearly reproducible adverse effect expressed specifically at low BPA doses only.” EFSA has established an internal task force to develop a common strategy towards endocrine active substances. Regarding the Danish risk assessment and ban, CEF concludes the factors that influenced the Danish prohibition are inconclusive and no new study has been identified that would call for a revision of the TDI of 0.05 mg/kg bw/day. Overall, the Panel’s opinion is positive and does not recommend any changes to current regulatory limits (click here to access an EFSA press release on its opinion). However, a minority report was included as an annex to the opinion and notes “there are significant uncertainties about the current validity of the NOAEL (5 mg/kg b.w.) used to establish the TDI for bisphenol A in the EFSA opinion of 2006.” The uncertainties are based on recent scientific studies that indicate possible adverse effects of BPA at low levels. Therefore, the minority opinion recommends the TDI “should be considered temporary” while additional scientific studies are conducted.
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