Companies pushed baby formula in Peru despite ban

LIMA, Peru — A new study says multinational companies pushed expensive baby formula to a low-income community near Peru’s capital despite the country’s ban against aggressive marketing of such products.

The report issued Monday by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that women in the community where the promotions took place were 10 times more likely to stop exclusive bread feeding at their doctors’ advice.

Doctors told researchers they had received everything from free training and trips as well as powdered formula samples to promote the products.

The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding up to six months of age for its health benefits to babies. Peru has prohibited marketers from promoting infant formula through health care centers since 1982.