The week raises awareness about breastfeeding through different themes. The theme for 2005 is breast-feeding and family foods (feeding beyond six months), which aims to draw attention to the value of continuing to breastfeed children to two years and beyond while introducing other foods and drinks correctly and safely.

This year's theme aims to:

Draw attention to the value of continuing to breastfeed children to 2 years or beyond. Raise awareness of the risks and costs of introducing other foods and drinks to breastfed babies before 6 months, thereby strengthening support for 6 months exclusive breastfeeding. Up-date information and ideas about the kinds of other foods and drinks needed by older breastfed babies and young children after 6 months. Share ideas for making complementary feeding easier, healthier and a time for learning and love.

Breastfeeding continues to be important for children's nutrition, development and care after six months. On average, breastfed babies of 6-8 months obtain 70% of their energy needs from breast milk, this falls to around 55% at 9-11 months and 40% at 12-23 months. Breast milk is also a major provider of protein, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and protective factors. It provides more nutrients in 1ml than most of the other foods.

If babies' stomachs are filled with nutritionally poor foods, they will take less breast milk and their overall diet and health will be inferior. The contribution of breast milk is often overlooked in the enthusiasm to get complementary feeding started. Other foods should be given in a way that they will add to the nutritional contribution of breast milk, rather than replace it.

Nationwide celebrations of the World Breastfeeding Week will take place and members of the public are urged to contact their nearest health facility for more information.

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Conclusions from this study, while important, cannot be extrapolated to HFCS-sweetened soft drinks. That is because the study compares water, a sucrose soft drink and a diet soft drink - all widely used in the human diet - with a fluid fabricated from pure fructose and water that is found nowhere outside the laboratory.

In 1983, the Food and Drug Administration listed HFCS as "Generally Recognized as Safe" (known as GRAS status) for use in food, and the FDA reaffirmed that ruling in 1996.

As a natural, nutritive sweetener, HFCS can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet. According to the American Dietetic Association, "Consumers can safely enjoy a range of nutritive and nonnutritive sweeteners when consumed in a diet that is guided by current federal nutrition recommendations ... as well as individual health goals."

Audrae Erickson, President Corn Refiners Association 1701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20006 (202)-331-1634

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