Estimating the health impact of industry infant food marketing practices in the Philippines

The decline in the prevalence and duration of breast‐feeding in less developed countries and the accompanying increase in bottle feeding is a concern. Little research has been done tracing the links from infant food marketing to infant and child health outcomes. In this study, Philippine mothers’ feeding decisions and infantile diarrhoeal morbidity rates are modelled and jointly estimated using semiparametric estimation methods. The data clearly support the hypothesis that infant feeding practices are important determinants of diarrhoeal morbidity and that breast‐feeding reduces the incidence of diarrhoea. Our results also show that marketing activities have affected infant feeding choices.