Maternal Recognition of Formula Food Brand Logos and Its Association with Breastfeeding.

Abstract

Background: Despite many well-documented benefits of breastfeeding, only 44% of babies worldwide are exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months. The aggressive marketing of formula food companies may be contributing to why mothers are choosing artificial feeding over breastfeeding. Objective: To identify when and how mothers become aware of infant formula food and the impact it has on breastfeeding. Methods: Four commonly used formula food logos were modified to unbranded versions using photoshop and shown to 444 participants at a tertiary level hospital. The participants included first-time pregnant women and mothers of infants aged 0-6 months. They were asked if they recognized the logos and how they knew them. Breastfeeding practices and media usage were also examined with a questionnaire. Results: The overall rate of logo recognition was 60.8%, increasing with the baby's age. Of the mothers who had never used formula, 51.6% still recognized them. Of the participants, 70.5% admitted to getting baby care ideas from the media, with the logo recognition rate being higher among them. Exclusive breastfeeding was lower among the mothers who were aware of the logos. Conclusion: The awareness of formula food was quite high among the group that needed to breastfeed exclusively. More than half of those who recognized the logos stated that they saw them through the media, highlighting its role in formula awareness.