Nutrition Publications

The first year of life is a key phase in the development of the microbiome, with breastfeeding having the biggest influence in shaping the gut microbiome in early childhood.

Probiotics are live microorganisms, which when consumed in adequate amounts, confer a health effect on the host. One of the most well-researched probiotic stain is Bifidobacterium lactis, a probiotic bacterium found in the human gut, supported by strong clinical data in infants demonstrating its effects on gut colonisation, immune support, diarrhoea, and necrotising enterocolitis.

The gut microbiome is the totality of microorganisms – bacteria, viruses, protozoa and fungi – and their collective genetic material present in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT).

At the 90th Nestlé Nutrition Institute (NNI) Workshop on “Human Milk: Composition, Clinical Benefits and Future Opportunities, Professor Jose Saavedra* from NNI interviewed Professor Alan Lucas, Emeritus Professor of Paediatric Nutrition and Founder of the Child Nutrition Research Centre at the Institute of Child Health in London.

The infant gut microbiome is a dynamic ecosystem that undergoes changes from birth until two to three years of age, followed by a gradual evolution towards an adult microbiome in later childhood. The early life microbiome trajectory is influenced by many factors with nutrition playing a crucial role. Dysbiosis in the first years of life is related to lifelong health consequences. Human milk oligosaccharides and probiotics have the potential to modulate the gut microbiome with consequent positive impact on reducing the risk of developing certain diseases.

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) revised its 2009 Opinion on the appropriate age for introduction of complementary feeding of infants. This age has been evaluated considering the effects on health outcomes, nutritional aspects and infant development, and depends on the individual’s characteristics and development.

Metabolic imbalances during pregnancy, such as GDM, might result in epigenetic changes which affect the offspring and might predispose to noncommunicable diseases later in life.

Infant feeding is a large component of parenting that encompasses the social, cultural, and economic structure of a parent’s life. There are universal challenges for parents, no matter where in the world they are raising their children. Health Care Professionals are the preferred source on parenting advice. Their role in education and support is key to empower parents to adopt recommended infant feeding.

Food allergies affect around 240-550 million people worldwide. They are most common in infants and children. While in most cases, food allergies cause mild symptoms, some can cause severe reactions, and may even be life-threatening.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) refers to a transitional stage between normal aging and dementia. MCI is defined by an objective decline in cognitive functioning (using appropriate cognitive tests) that exceeds the expected level given the patient’s age and education. Such cognitive changes do not impair social functioning or activities of daily living.

Vitamin D is a prohormone absorbed from food sources or supplements and also synthesized in the skin following exposure to ultraviolet light. Few foods naturally contain vitamin D.

Milk and rice were the main dietary components in all Filipino children, contributing up to 60% of energy in the infants from poorer households. Consumption of protein-containing foods and vegetables were typically lower in poorer households. Interventions are required to enable caregivers of young Filipino children to provide complementary foods of high nutritional quality, particularly among children from the poor households.

Around half of Filipino children 1-5 years old are not consuming any dairy products on a given day, which increases risk of inadequate nutrient intakes. Dietary modelling was applied to assess the nutritional impact of meeting dairy recommendations in reducing nutrient inadequacy. If all children would meet their dairy recommendations, theoretical reductions in population nutrient inadequacy would be seen for all micronutrients. Therefore, dairy consumption should be encouraged.

Gastrointestinal woes – such as gastroesophageal reflux, colic and dyschezia – are common among infants.

“Gastrointestinal woes are common among infants. Many of these resolve spontaneously and do not need extensive testing or treatment.”

According to the World Health Organization, the early child period, i.e., from birth to 5 years of age, is considered the most important developmental phase throughout the lifespan.

The following paper investigated three variations of the balanced carbohydrate ratio and its ability to identify products of a higher nutritional quality in products from Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.

Carbohydrate quality is critical for health, nevertheless validated and pragmatic metrics to define the quality of carbohydrate-rich products are not established. This paper investigated four different carbohydrate metrics based on the ratio between total carbohydrate and fibre and/or free sugars.

Dietary fibre and its associated non-carbohydrate components have been inversely associated with disease outcomes.

Dietary guidelines indicate that complex carbohydrates should provide around half of the calories in a balanced diet, while sugars (i.e. simple carbohydrates) should be limited to no more than 5–10% of total energy intake.

Human milk (HM) is a highly complex and dynamic system offering an optimal source of nutrients and numerous health advantages for healthy term (T) babies