Page 70 - Petelin Ana. Ur. 2022. Zdravje otrok in mladostnikov / Health of children and adolescents. Proceedings. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press
P. 70
avje otrok in mladostnikov | health of children and adolescents 70 metabolism, resistance to infections and development of the immune
system. Thus, by choosing an appropriate diet in the early childhood, we
can significantly contribute to health later in life.
Keywords: infants, nutrition, gut microbiota, health
Introduction
An increasing amount of scientific evidence shows the importance of diet dur-
ing early infancy. Fetal development and infancy are life stages that are charac-
terized by rapid growth, development and maturation of organs and systems.
Variation in the quality or quantity of nutrients consumed by mothers dur-
ing pregnancy, or infants during the first year of life, can exert permanent and
powerful effects upon developing tissues. These effects are termed ‘metabol-
ic programming’ and represent an important risk factor for non-communi-
cable diseases of adulthood (Langley-Evans, 2015). Thus, diet in early infancy
has a key role on growth pattern and development but is also important for the
generation of lifelong flavour preferences and dietary habits that will influence
mid- and long-term health (D’Auria et al., 2020). For instance, evolutionary
driven preferences for sweet and salty tastes can be modified by repeated early
exposure to the taste of some vegetables which enhances liking for those vege-
tables with effects persisting up to 6 years later (Fewtrell et al., 2017).
Nutrition of infants is divided in three periods: exclusive dairy diet
(breast milk or infant formula), introduction of complementary foods (CFs)
and transition to modified family diet. Exclusive breast-feeding (EBF) as de-
fined by the World Health Organization (WHO) means that the infant receives
only breast milk and no other liquids or solids except for drops or syrups con-
sisting of vitamins, mineral supplements, or medicines (World Health Assem-
bly, 2002). The term complementary feeding (CF) describes a period in which
there is a gradual reduction of frequency and volume of breast milk or formu-
la together with the introduction of CFs. This period is important in the tran-
sition of the infant from milk feeding to family foods and is necessary for both
nutritional and developmental reasons (Dipasquale & Romano, 2020). Availa-
ble literature data show increasing interest and concerns about the impact of
CF timing and modality on the onset of later non-communicable disorders,
such as overweight and obesity, allergic diseases, celiac disease, or diabetes (Di-
pasquale & Romano, 2020). Moreover, nutrition early in life was recognized as
a strong determinant of the children gut microbiome assembly and maturation
(Lim et al., 2016). This highly modifiable and adaptive system of bacteria, virus-
es, fungi, protists and other microorganisms reversely affects the host in mul-
tiple complex ways (Subramanian et al., 2015). Various epidemiological studies
have shown a correlation between factors disrupting the gut microbiota dur-
ing childhood on the one hand and immune and metabolic disorders in adult-
hood on the other.
system. Thus, by choosing an appropriate diet in the early childhood, we
can significantly contribute to health later in life.
Keywords: infants, nutrition, gut microbiota, health
Introduction
An increasing amount of scientific evidence shows the importance of diet dur-
ing early infancy. Fetal development and infancy are life stages that are charac-
terized by rapid growth, development and maturation of organs and systems.
Variation in the quality or quantity of nutrients consumed by mothers dur-
ing pregnancy, or infants during the first year of life, can exert permanent and
powerful effects upon developing tissues. These effects are termed ‘metabol-
ic programming’ and represent an important risk factor for non-communi-
cable diseases of adulthood (Langley-Evans, 2015). Thus, diet in early infancy
has a key role on growth pattern and development but is also important for the
generation of lifelong flavour preferences and dietary habits that will influence
mid- and long-term health (D’Auria et al., 2020). For instance, evolutionary
driven preferences for sweet and salty tastes can be modified by repeated early
exposure to the taste of some vegetables which enhances liking for those vege-
tables with effects persisting up to 6 years later (Fewtrell et al., 2017).
Nutrition of infants is divided in three periods: exclusive dairy diet
(breast milk or infant formula), introduction of complementary foods (CFs)
and transition to modified family diet. Exclusive breast-feeding (EBF) as de-
fined by the World Health Organization (WHO) means that the infant receives
only breast milk and no other liquids or solids except for drops or syrups con-
sisting of vitamins, mineral supplements, or medicines (World Health Assem-
bly, 2002). The term complementary feeding (CF) describes a period in which
there is a gradual reduction of frequency and volume of breast milk or formu-
la together with the introduction of CFs. This period is important in the tran-
sition of the infant from milk feeding to family foods and is necessary for both
nutritional and developmental reasons (Dipasquale & Romano, 2020). Availa-
ble literature data show increasing interest and concerns about the impact of
CF timing and modality on the onset of later non-communicable disorders,
such as overweight and obesity, allergic diseases, celiac disease, or diabetes (Di-
pasquale & Romano, 2020). Moreover, nutrition early in life was recognized as
a strong determinant of the children gut microbiome assembly and maturation
(Lim et al., 2016). This highly modifiable and adaptive system of bacteria, virus-
es, fungi, protists and other microorganisms reversely affects the host in mul-
tiple complex ways (Subramanian et al., 2015). Various epidemiological studies
have shown a correlation between factors disrupting the gut microbiota dur-
ing childhood on the one hand and immune and metabolic disorders in adult-
hood on the other.
