Safe Food Campaign media release 29 May 2008

Babies at risk from fluoride

Babies having formula made up with fluoridated water are getting a dose that could affect their thyroid. The Safe Food Campaign is presenting material on fluoridation to Wellington City Council on their draft annual plan today at 10.50am.

"It is time for Wellington City Council to review the artificial fluoridation of our water supplies, especially because more and more evidence is coming to light regarding the risk to babies and the foetus in the womb," stated Alison White, Co-convenor of the Safe Food Campaign. "Recently two public health bodies in the US, the American Dental Association and Centre for Disease Control, have issued warnings about the risk of giving babies formula with fluoridated water. Careful analysis of studies reveals that the benefits of water fluoridation are not proven, and that various adverse health effects are being increasingly discovered."

The US National Research Council, in their 2006 review of fluoride, advised that apart from infants, diabetics, those on dialysis, those with impaired kidney function, such as the elderly, and those with high water consumption are at particular risk.

"By adding fluoride to our water the Council is overriding the rights of those who don't want a poison like fluoride in their water. It also penalises those on low incomes who don't want fluoride - a water filter to remove fluoride is expensive," Ms White added.

New Zealand is only one of eight countries in the world where more than 50% of water supplies are artificially fluoridated. Most European countries have not fluoridated and their dental decay rates have also fallen. An increasing number of areas in Canada and the US are choosing to discontinue fluoridation.

The Safe Food Campaign aims to give consumers information about the risks of artificial water fluoridation.

NOTE: The US National Research Council has calculated that a fluoride dosage of 0.05 to 0.13mg/kg could adversely affect thyroid functioning. A baby at six months of age who is fed 1 litre of formula with fluoridated water could receive 0.10mg/kg/day.

ENDS

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