It is generally accepted that preventing growth faltering in infants is clinically beneficial, however observational studies suggest that accelerated growth (upward centile crossing) is associated with long-term adverse
exploreTwo randomized controlled trials showed that children (5-8 years of age) assigned to receive a nutrient-enriched formula during infancy had 22-38% greater fat mass than those assigned to receive a standard formula. Inter
exploreThe intestinal microbiota plays a critical role in the establishment and maintenance of healthy immune responses. Delayed colonisation of the infant gut with commensal bacteria or alterations in the microbiota profile
exploreThe brain undergoes tremendous growth and specialization during early life and into young adulthood. A spurt in brain growth takes place from approximately the beginning of the third trimester of pregnancy until 2 years
exploreProgramming, a term coined by Lucas in 1983, is the process whereby a stimulus at a critical period in development has a long term impact on the structure or function of the organism
exploreThe idea that nutrition may act during a critical window early in development to permanently affect, or ‘program’, long-term health first emerged from studies in animals but is now strongly supported in humans.
exploreThe LC-PUFAs docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) occur in high levels in the brain and play a key role in the growth and function of the CNS. However, LC-PUFA synthesis in both the foetus and young
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