ArticleMaternal & child nutrition2022
Global evidence of persistent violations of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes: A systematic scoping review.
Article in Maternal & child nutrition, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 38 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
38 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 59 citations in OpenAlex.
- Outcomes of implementing the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes as national laws: a systematic review.International breastfeeding journal · 2024Pooled it
- Assessing the implementation of public policies aimed at addressing the double burden of nutrition in Burundi: perspectives and recommendations.BMC nutrition · 2026Article
- Digital Marketing Tactics, Non-Compliance With the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and Legal Breaches of Code-Based Legislation by the Commercial Milk Formula Industry in Central America and the Caribbean.Maternal & child nutrition · 2026Article
- Barriers to breastfeeding and targeted breastfeeding social transfer programs in São Paulo, Brazil: a qualitative study.International breastfeeding journal · 2026Article
- Prioritising Indicators for Large-scale Monitoring and Assessment of Food Environments for Public Health.Current obesity reports · 2026Review
- Exploration of parents' and healthcare providers' perceptions on human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) and willingness to use HMO-enriched formula: a baseline mixed-methods study from the State of Qatar.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Article
- Formative Research for the Development and Implementation of a Smartphone Application to Report Breaches to the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes in Mexico.Maternal & child nutrition · 2025Article
- A Content Analysis of Digital Marketing Strategies of Formula Companies and Influencers to Promote Commercial Milk Formula in Hong Kong.Maternal & child nutrition · 2025Article
- Formula Labelling in the United Kingdom: Manufacturers' Compliance With the Code, UK Law and Guidance Notes.Maternal & child nutrition · 2025Article
- Assessing Compliance: Violations of WHO Code in Breast Milk Substitute Marketing, Ecuador.Maternal & child nutrition · 2025Article
- Geographical equity in Ethiopian infant feeding practices: a secondary analysis of a birth cohort study.BMJ open · 2025Article
- A landscape analysis of investors in the global breast milk substitute industry to target for advocacy.Maternal & child nutrition · 2025Article
- South African health professional associations urged to end commercial milk formula industry sponsorship.Journal of the colleges of medicine of South Africa · 2025Article
- Monitoring and enforcement of Code-based legal measures to protect breastfeeding in South Asia: opportunities and bottlenecks.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Alarming Rise of Obesity: The 4Global heart · 2025Article
- Women's exposure to commercial milk formula marketing: a WHO multi-country market research study.Globalization and health · 2024Article
- Close Relations, Practitioners or Social Networks: What Affects the Selection of Infant Formula Products?Nutrients · 2024Article
- Infant formula donations and code violations during earthquake relief efforts in Türkiye in 2023: an observational study.International breastfeeding journal · 2024Observational
- Challenges of breastfeeding during COVID-19 and baby friendly protocols adopted at a maternity health center in the northern Emirates of UAE: a comprehensive review.Journal of health, population, and nutrition · 2024Review
- [Digital marketing of commercial infant formula in Argentina: a digital ethnographic study].Salud colectiva · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The influence of marketing on infant and young child feeding and health is well recognized, and an International Code was adopted by the World Health Assembly (WHA) in 1981 to reduce inappropriate marketing and protect breastfeeding. Yet the marketing and influencing continue. This scoping review systematically examined the published research evidence on the nature and extent of exposure to International Code violations from 1981 to August 2021. We used several search strategies involving multi-language databases, organization websites, citation tracking, and expert consultation, to find research items meeting our inclusion criteria. We evaluated 657 items and retained 153 studies from at least 95 countries in the review. The majority of the studies (n = 113) documenting exposure to inappropriate marketing were published since 2010. Studies reported a broad range of marketing violations targeting mothers and families, health workers, and the general public. Marketing via digital platforms and brand extension has become more frequent. The evidence shows the use of misleading and inaccurate labeling and health and nutrition claims in breach of the Code. Our review confirms that violations of the Code have not ceased and calls for renewed attention from the WHA and national governments to protect the health of children and their mothers.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.