So there are all these programs on the telly about how we're all fatties, but why aren't they mentioning one of the main causes of preventing obesity?

[theUrbanDryad]

Discuss.

references here and here

farcical but there is nothing in that link which refers to how babies in these countires are fed, I know that formula is often marketed to developing countries so we cannot presume breastfeeding is the norm.

Second link states...

"However, many mothers in developing countries have been persuaded to move to formula milk soon after birth, which means that subsequent attempts to breastfeed will fail. "

less physical work....

there has also been research if you like research lol

rather than thinking it's something that people do to jusrify their dossy lifestyle and get grants and phds

which suggests that

being fat isn't the health disaster we have been told

it's not marketed THAT widely - the cost is FAR to prohibitive for the majority to buy - especially in urban areas where the (illegal) distribution of free samples is mostly unheard of (most of it happens in rural areas - which is why there is the problem with dirty water etc).

In my 2 1/2yrs living there I saw just 2 babies being FF - one of those was DH's nephew at our wedding (but his SIL had come from a different country for our wedding and was in a very well paid job), the other was a gap student I knew out there who fell pg.

Lots of DH's family (infact I'd probably dare to say most) are overweight - and they were all breastfed

this is like talking to a brick wall!

yes, breastfeeding is going to solve the obesity crisis. you're right!

just like it sorted out hte polio epidemic back in the day when they didn't even have formula.

sigh.

i did bf, FWIW.

but you can bf from now until doomsday, if you eat a bunch of crap and don't make exercise a priority as a family, your child might end up with a weight problem.

eat more than you burn and you'll get fat.

expat - come and join us for a drink on the "late night chatters" thread

But farcical the second link you posted (BBC)contained the line I pasted above and will paste again here:

"However, many mothers in developing countries have been persuaded to move to formula milk soon after birth, which means that subsequent attempts to breastfeed will fail."

It seems you need to breastfeed for 3-5 months to gain protecion against obesity and it seems that even in developing countries this length of breastfeeding is no longer the norm, it certainly isnt here in the UK.

not sure why im considered thick lol

but I'm talking about people in their 20,30,40,50 and even 60's! They were born and grew up "in the village" until they were 5 or 6 and then went to the urban areas to school - most of their parents probably hadn't even heard of Formula - let alone thought about using it!

expat no one is saying breastfeeding is going to solve the obesity problem but it could well be a huge help.
You have your opinion, some of us dont share it.

Farcical but arent you and expat arguing that pbesity is a growing problem, we are not talking about past decades here.
Anyway, debate it a two way thing.
Am off to bed.

yes of course it's a growing problem - and I only need to look at DH's family photos to see that 20yrs ago most of his family were not overweight........then came his home country's "heyday" - when life was good for a lot of people (even the poor) and more "western" style food shops/takeaways (Nando's Chicken anyone?) opened up.....

I just can't see that breastmilk has some property which prevents obesity. What does make sense is that feeding on demand helps the baby, and then the child, keep in touch with their hungry/full cues. It is possible to ff on demand too, though I agree there is always the temptation to get them to finish the bottle. I lack eloquence but I think taking the child's lead on when they are hungry and when they are full is what's important. Most overweight/obese adults override or aren't aware of their 'full' cues.

talktothebees - I don't know if you've ever FF any of your DC - I've FF 2 of mine - and I know that if I'd made a "regular" feed of 8oz and my DC only wanted 3oz - they'd only drink 3oz - no amount of coaxing, shoving bottle in mouth etc etc would make them drink anymore......seemed rather like self regulating to me

ha ypou can't make a baby drink to much they throw up or turn away

farcical - don't know why you're so angry. I'm agrreing with you. Failed at bf, dd then ff. Coule never get an ounce more in her than she wanted. Also could never distract her from having a feed if she was hungry. This week she is eating for at least 2 babies - one of whom is very keen on branston pickle.

I'm just saying I can see that feeding to a timetable rather than on demand can cause problems. I'm willing to be convinced that there's something in the constitution of bm that prevents obesity.

FAQ (nice namechange!), I have seen people coaxing their babies to "take another ounce" "finish the bottle" etc, in RL and on TV (think the Claire Verity way of doing things). You are surely aware that it happens, even if you didn't do it yourself?

I always say to people who are worrying about how much their bf baby is taking that you can worry about how much your ff baby is taking as well - just because you can see intake doesn't mean you're necessarily going to be "happy" with what you see.

huh? I'm not angry - but I am slightly tipsy now

I'm not denying that some people manage it HM (and thank you for the compliment ) just that I don't see how it's really possibly - unless you're a witch like a certain person on TV who I shall not name for fear of getting MN into trouble

Depends on the child, on what they're used to from birth, etc. Some babies will be easier to coax than others, same as they're different in other things. I've seen it done in several ways, usually babies who are being fed to strict schedules. Distraction's popular, ime.

SM, falling asleep's a bit different because warm, comfy babies often fall asleep, even if they're not full up, however they're being fed. The RL coaxed babies I'm talking about were all awake throughout the feed and afterwards as well.

PMSL - my problem with DS2 and 3 is that they're too easily distracted by things - and forget to drink

sorry queen, you sounded angry but then I am very sensitive like a little trembly flower . I will bow out of this one just saying that I think the important thing is to respond to your baby's cues not worry about the volume of milk, or any other foodstuff, they take.

I have seen relatives trying to coax a baby (sometimes my baby) into finishing a bottle and the technique seems mostly to be irritating them by wiggling the teat in their mouth or running it round the baby's lips, until they give in and have some more to get a bit of peace. In fact my aunties remember being encouraged by HVs to keep reheating the bottle until their dc had finished it.

I was confused by

"main causes of preventing obesity"

I have a breastF child and a bottleF child, they are both slim, probably due to not over eating and plenty of activities and exercise.

Yes there are many underlying factors that can make certain people more likely to be obese but at the end of the day if you eat more calories than you burn then you will become overweight. Over eating, unbalanced diets and seditary lifestyles have a lot to answer for.

Just out of interest did the bottle fed babies of the 50's grow up to be obese? Or were they still eating a decent diet and not spending hours on the PC chatting on MN .

and surely puree feeding a 4 month old (which is still common) even though the chances are they're not even capable of eating properly is a bigger factor that whether they had milk out of a nork or a teat