Child nutrition
Adequate nutrition and physical activity during childhood supports optimal growth and development during this period of life. Read these articles on child nutrition.
Adequate nutrition and physical activity during childhood supports optimal growth and development during this period of life. Read these articles on child nutrition.
Malnutrition is a global issue in many low and middle income countries, with adolescent and pregnant women and young children being among the most vulnerable groups. In 2014, the decision-making body of World Health Organization (WHO) -World Health Assembly- formulated the ‘Global targets 2025. At the same time, a science-based intervention framework was developed and published by the leading Lancet Nutrition Interventions Review Group. This framework promotes a systematical life stage approac
Infant colic is a common condition characterized by excessive crying without any obvious cause in an otherwise healthy child. Colic usually presents within the first 3 months of life and, in severe cases, can disrupt feeding and prevent an infant from gaining weight. The underlying cause of colic is not well established.
Programme and abstracts
Stunted linear growth has become the main indicator of childhood undernutrition, because of its prevalence in nearly all low or middle income countries, and its important consequences for health and development. According to 2011 global estimates of the United Nations (UN) more than 165 million children under 5 years (26%) were stunted (HAZ=height-for-age Z score > -2), 100 million children (16%) were underweight (WAZ=weight-for-age Z score > -2) and around 52 million (8%) were wasted (WHZ=weigh
All infants experience gastroesophageal reflux (GER) with the prevalence typically peaking at 4-5 months of age and resolving without intervention by 13-14 months of age. If an otherwise healthy infant (3 weeks–12 months of age) experiences regurgitation, with no retching, haematemesis (blood in vomit), apnoea (temporary stopping of breathing), more than twice per day for over 3 weeks, they may be diagnosed with functional infant regurgitation.
2-7% of babies and toddlers and 0.1-0.5% of adults are allergic to the protein in cow's milk. The duration of the allergy to the cow’s milk protein varies, but most children will have outgrown this allergy by the age of two to three years. Although it is often stated that the number of children with cow’s milk protein allergy is increasing, there is no scientific evidence to support this.
The South East Asian Nutrition Survey (referred to as SEANUTS) is the largest and most extensive multi-centric nutrition and health study ever done in Southeast Asia. It was conducted by leading universities in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. This study investigated anthropometry, dietary intake, nutritional status, physical activity levels and cognition of 16,744 children between the ages of six months and twelve years, using a randomized multistage cluster design.
In 2014, the European and North American Societies for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (ESPGHAN and NASPGHAN) issued guidelines on the management of paediatric constipation using:
The South East Asian Nutrition Surveys (SEANUTS) is a large nutritional study conducted in several countries in Southeast Asia (1). In 2010-2011, SEANUTS was conducted in Malaysia, using a cross-sectional design. The total study population consisted of 3542 children aged 0.5 to 12 years, who lived in both rural and urban areas. SEANUTS aimed to provide insight into dietary intakes, food habits, nutritional status, growth, body composition, physical activity, and cognitive development and
Double burden of malnutrition is defined as the persistence of undernutrition and the rapid rise in overweight and obesity. The usual pattern of malnutrition was undernutrition being more prevalent in developing countries while obesity was a common occurrence in developed countries. However, with rapid urbanization, unlimited food access, and lifestyle changes, a trend towards increasing incidence of overweight and obesity has been observed in developing countries.1