Experts want to rein in milk formula ads

Mothers encouraged to breast-feed infants for first six months of life

Experts have called for legislation to regulate the marketing of breast milk substitutes, a move aimed at improving the breastfeeding rate in China.

The appeal was prompted by a new report saying that less than 30 percent of Chinese newborns are exclusively breast-fed for the first six months, compared with 43 percent of mothers worldwide who are breast-feeding exclusively, and 37 percent for lower-to middle-income countries.