Presentation Slides

A healthy gut development after birth contributes to healthy growth, immediate and long-term health. Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are important modulators of early gut microbiome development. With the advancement of technology and research activities, more HMOs are available for infant nutrition.

A new randomised, controlled, double-blind, trial shows the beneficial effect of a blend of 5 specific HMOs on early gut development, gut microbiome maturation trajectories and on various growth parameters through toddlerhood. The benefits of these specific HMOs are also shown for infants born by caesarean section.

There has been an increase in the prevalence of food allergies within the last 10 years, with the most affected population being the children. While the prevalence varies from countries and methods of diagnosis, this raises the alarm for the second wave of the allergic epidemic with the rise of instances of anaphylaxis.

This presentation sheds light on how to differentiate and identify allergies versus intolerances, and the risk factors for food allergies. At the same time, it gives focus to Cow's Milk Protein Allergy (CMPA) that has a prevalence rate of up to 3% in the first years of life. The techniques to achieve tolerance to cow's milk, the symptoms of CMPA and how to identify it against other forms of hypersensitivities, and diagnosis of the allergy are discussed further in the tutorial as means to combat this possibly life-threatening condition.

Food allergy prevention has become a global health priority given the increasing prevalence of food allergy, particularly in young children. In addition, increasing evidence has led to major changes in many guidelines for the early prevention of food allergy. Potential food allergens, such as peanuts and eggs, should be actively introduced between the age of 4 to 6 months, as opposed to the strict avoidance during complementary feeding recommended earlier. Furthermore, emerging evidence suggests a beneficial role of multiple food allergens in early food allergy prevention. Find out more details in this presentation slide.

Early nutritional intervention with cow’s milk protein hydrolysates is a long-practised strategy for allergy risk reduction when breastfeeding is not possible. Amongst the many studies, the GINI (German Infant Nutritional Intervention) study is by far the largest and independent nutritional intervention study for allergy prevention. The recent publication of the 20-year follow-up provides evidence for a partially hydrolysed whey-based formula (pHF-W) to reduce the risk of eczema from birth to adulthood and of asthma amongst 16-to 20-year-olds, in an at-risk population. Further experimental and pre-clinical data show that not all pHF-Ws are the same with respect to peptide structure, allergenicity and the ability of inducing oral tolerance. Find out more information in the presentation deck below.

The importance of an age-appropriate gut microbiota development in early life is increasingly recognized as an important key to many aspects of infants’ and toddlers’ health and beyond.

Preterm infants are a vulnerable group of neonates, which face specific health risks that are related to their immaturity in combination with increased nutritional needs.

Human milk contains a diversity of Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO), with more than 200 HMOs identified and about 30 HMOs quantified.

The Feeding Infant and Toddlers Study (FITS) in US has shown that about half of US children between 4 and 6 months consume juice, much more than infants and toddlers in other countries.

A significant number of young children do not consume vegetables on a given day in Russia. For the ones that do eat vegetables, more than half comes from potatoes, according to Feeding Infant and Toddlers Study (FITS) performed in this country.

The Feeding Infant and Toddlers Study (FITS) in Mexico identified low consumption of iron-containing foods and high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.

In the China Feeding Infant and Toddlers Study (FITS), it was identified that few Chinese children consume sugar-sweetened beverages, but more than 60% of children under 2-years of age exceeded the upper intake level for sodium.

The FITS studies explore eating patterns, nutrient intakes and food sources of nutrients among infants and children in different countries around the world.

Carbohydrate metabolism is a fundamental biochemical process that ensures a constant supply of energy to living cells. The most important carbohydrate is glucose, which is the preferred fuel for the brain.

Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (FGIDs) are common in infants and toddlers & young children and can have short and long-term impact on their quality of life.

The nutritional needs of toddlers differ from those of adults. Compared to adults, toddlers may need up to 7.5 times more vitamins and up to 4.5 times more minerals per kg body weight to support their rapid growth and development.

In this study, Goehring and colleagues investigated the effects of feeding infant formulas, supplemented with different types of oligosaccharides, including the HMO 2’FL, on the immune response of healthy infants

In this publication, Reverri and colleagues have reviewed the published evidence on clinical experiences of feeding formulae containing only the HMO, 2’FL, in healthy infants.

2’fucosyllactose (2’FL) when added to a partially hydrolysed whey protein infant formula, with Bifidobacterium animalis ssp lactis strain Bb12 (B. lactis) is well tolerated.

In this study, Puccio and colleagues evaluated the effects of infant formulae supplemented with 2 human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), namely 2′fucosyllactose (2′FL) and lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT), on infant growth and tolerance.

Nutrition during early years has a significant effect on the normal growth and development of the brain, and functioning of the immune system.