Consumer needs regarding dietetic products for pregnant and lactating women and for baby foods.

This meeting discussed the regulation, marketing and communication needs of these products from a consumer point of view. It was agreed, that clear and consistent messages are needed from health professionals, public authorities, industry and also the media. There is also a need to better understand the context in which choices of products are made. Research into these topics is reviewed in this paper, but it is obvious that more research into consumer and health professional behaviour is needed. This will allow best practices for communication of the use of dietetic foods for the important consumer group of lactating mothers and young parents.