Infant Formula Companies to Unveil New Diet Products.....

Princeton, NJ-Mead Johnson, Nestle, and Ross Pediatrics, the three largest manufactureres of infant formula, today announced their plans to work together on a series of public service announcements to increase awareness of the existence and benefits of breast milk alternatives.

"There are many well established benefits to formula feeding," Enfamil representative Brooke Mayweather explained. "Formula is scientifically designed to provide infants with all the nutrition that they might need, and is a much better fit for the active lifestyle of today's on-the-go babies who don't necessarily appreciate being forced to rely on a caregiver for meals."

The commercials will show a series of images of young infants engaged in a variety of activities such as tennis and water polo, non-athletic but equally involved undertakings like public speaking and city planning, and moments relaxing at the beach with their baby friends. The slogan, "For Fitness or Fun, Think Formula!", has been chosen to accompany these images. Hallie Berry has signed on as a celebrity spokesperson.

Mayweather further revealed that "Formula companies are first and foremost interested in promoting ways to help newborns and older infants live active and healthy lives. We are expecially concerned about the growing threat of infant obesity." This dedication to infant health has led to formula companies' involvement with promoting infant exercise programs in an effort to stem the tide of this very serious problem. "Our studies show that this generation of babies will need size 5 diapers earlier than any before it. We really have an opportunity to do something about this but people have to buy more formula.'

The companies are planning to use these public service announcements as a platform for not only promoting awareness of the benefits of formula but also the unveiling their new lines of diet baby formulas. These new light formula products will have half the calories of conventional formula and will also be available in low-fat as well as a Atkins, Zone, South Beach, and Hollywood Miracle Diet varieties.