Tag: Who code

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines an infant milk substitute as any food marketed or otherwise represented as a partial or total replacement for breast milk, suitable for infants up to six months old. Understanding this term is crucial for parents and caregivers to navigate infant nutrition choices, especially when breastfeeding is not an option or needs to be supplemented. Infant formulas are manufactured to provide the necessary nutrients for a baby's healthy development, though they cannot fully replicate the dynamic and immune-boosting properties of human breast milk.

Globally, only around 41% of infants under six months are exclusively breastfed, highlighting the significant role of breast-milk substitutes (BMS) in nutrition when breastfeeding is not possible or insufficient. BMS refers to any product marketed as a partial or total replacement for breast milk, with its use and marketing heavily regulated to protect infant health.