Australian parents are told not to buy the ultra-processed powdered milk products, but the government is helping fund a boom overseas.
The federal government is fuelling the sale of expensive “toddler milks” to families in poorer nations, backing the rise of an ultra-processed product Australian health authorities have warned parents not to buy.
A Facebook page for Bellamy’s Organic, one of Australia’s largest producers, tells parents in Vietnam its junior milk product will “unlock the secret to optimal height growth”, as well as provide children born by caesarean with a “golden immunity shield”. Like infant formula, they are prepared by mixing a powder with boiled water. Unlike infant formula, recognised as a valid source of nutrition for babies whose mothers cannot or choose not to breastfeed, the drinks for older children are widely seen as unnecessary and potentially harmful.Queensland government’s Health and Wellbeing agency said these products were “not recommended” and posed “an increased risk of unhealthy weight gain and tooth decay”.
“There is absolutely no dietary requirement for toddler milk, and in many instances, they’re actually less healthy than regular cow’s milk,” Rhodes said. “They’re higher in calories. Depending on the brand, they can have as much sugar as a soft drink.” In Australia, social media posts refer to ingredients that “help support” normal growth, cognition and immunity.A Cambodian Facebook post by Royal AUSNZ, a NSW-based producer selling the “Premium Gold” range, touted benefits such as increased red blood cell production.
In response, the World Health Organisation introduced an international code designed to protect breastfeeding by curbing promotions of formula. But Australian companies – the same ones making misleading toddler milk claims – appear to have flouted these laws on social media channels such as TikTok and Instagram.
Bellamy’s said in a statement it was committed to “protecting and upholding the importance of breastfeeding”. Janelle Maree, director of Breastfeeding Advocacy Australia, said she was “sickened” by the unlawful promotion of infant formula, adding that toddler milk marketing diverted mothers from breastfeeding children over 12 months.
Support also comes in the form of cash. In 2022, then-agriculture minister David Littleproud announced a $176,000 grant to the Infant Nutrition Council, the peak body representing infant formula and toddler milk companies, including Bellamy’s. That money, to help the industry grow in South-East Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, was followed by a $330,000 grant last year.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Taller, stronger, smarter: The baseless claims used to sell ‘toddler milk’ powderAustralian parents are told not to buy the ultra-processed powdered milk products, but the government is helping fund a boom overseas.
Read more »
Taller, stronger, smarter: The baseless claims used to sell ‘toddler milk’ powderAustralian parents are told not to buy the ultra-processed powdered milk products, but the government is helping fund a boom overseas.
Read more »
Australian researchers have developed a tablet to help children with dwarfism grow tallerChildren with achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism, are 50 times more likely to die before the age of five than their peers.
Read more »
Babysitter charged with criminal neglect of South Australian toddlerA 18-year-old babysitter has been charged after a three-year-old suffered serious injuries at a home in Adelaide earlier this year.
Read more »
Big names and storylines create intrigue for Australian PGA Championship and Australian OpenAustralia's golf majors are upon us and such is the enormity of the boom across the sport since COVID, there is no more yearning for the big overseas star that the Aussie tour felt it needed for so long.
Read more »
This is exactly how much the average Australian worker earns every weekThe Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has revealed the median weekly income for all Australian employees.
Read more »