Health visitors back “eat organic” call to pregnant mums

Most health visitors believe mums should eat organic while pregnant, according to NEW research from HiPP Organic.

In the nationally representative poll, 58 per cent agreed that during pregnancy the unborn baby can benefit from the mother eating organically; 23 per cent were undecided; and only 19 per cent disagreed.

The survey* was conducted by baby specialists Durdle Davies among 500 health visitors, all members of the Community Practitioners and Health Visitors’ Association.

These findings support another poll**, commissioned for HiPP by market research company BMRB, which showed that 71 per cent of mums and mums-to-be believe it is important for pregnant women to eat organically.

Yet most mums don’t actually bother to seek organic food during pregnancy - 55 per cent of women said they didn’t increase their intake of organic foods whilst pregnant.

Jane Mayall, HiPP’s Marketing Manager, said: “Whilst 8 out of 10 mums wean their babies on organic food, this understanding has not yet been reached during the important stage of pregnancy when the baby is particularly vulnerable to damage from chemicals and pesticides.

This is why the importance of pregnant mums eating organic as much as possible is now being recognised and supported by the majority of health professionals."

"The risk of pesticides reaching the foetus is becoming recognised and documented" said Jane. “Mums are realising that organic is better for baby, but unfortunately for some, the awareness doesn’t start early enough."

“The foetus is the stage of life most vulnerable to damage from chemicals; in the womb through growth and development and indeed later in life with health related problems being well documented.”

References
* (Independent omnibus research conducted on a nationally representative random sample of 500 health visitors by Durdle Davies in September 2005)
**( Independent omnibus research conducted on sample of 1000 women aged 20-40 years by BMRB in July 2005)

ENDS

Editors notes:

• HiPP Organic is the UK’s best selling organic baby food brand. With over 90 recipes in the range, including breakfasts, savouries and desserts, plus a range of drinks and follow on milks, HiPP Organic provides the best possible start to weaning. HiPP recipes are suitable for babies from 4 – 15 months of age, and can be found in all major supermarkets and health stores across the UK.

• For more information please call:
  Samantha Mort at HiPP Organic
  email sam@greenhq.co.uk