Pediatric Nutrition in Practice

76 Koletzko

follow-on formulae on obesity risk at school age
( table 1 ). These data indicate that improving in-
fant feeding can have very large effects on later
health.
These examples point to the numerous oppor-
tunities that should arise from a better under-
standing of early metabolic programming and its
underlying mechanisms. Further elucidation of
the impact of early nutrition on long-term health
is expected to contribute greatly to providing im-
proved policies of nutrition both for women dur-
ing pregnancy and lactation and for their infants,
as well as to enhancing standards of practice.

Conclusions

• Optimal nutrition during pregnancy, lactation
  and infancy not only is important for immedi-
  ate outcomes such as fetal and infant weight
  gain and body composition but also has long-
  term effects on child health, well-being and
  performance, extending into adulthood and
  old age


• Improved nutrition and physical activity in
  pregnancy has the potential to reduce the
  long-term obesity risk in the offspring
  
  
  • Breastfeeding, compared to formula feeding,
    is associated with a small but consistent risk
    reduction for overweight and obesity at later
    ages, which is of considerable public health
    relevance on a population basis
  
  
  • Overfeeding protein and/or energy in early life
    can have long-term adverse consequences in
    terms of common diet-related chronic diseases
    (obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases)
  
  
  • Reducing protein content in infant and fol-
    low-on formula to levels more similar to those
    found in breast milk was shown to markedly
    reduce obesity risk at early school age
  
  
  
  

Acknowledgements

The author’s work is carried out with partial fi-

nancial support from the Commission of the Eu-

ropean Communities, the 7th Framework Pro-

gramme, contract FP7-289346-EARLY NUTRI-

TION, and the European Research Council

Advanced Grant ERC-2012-AdG – No. 322605

META-GROWTH. This manuscript does not

necessarily reflect the views of the Commission

and in no way anticipates the future policy in this

area.

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Koletzko B, et al. (eds): Pediatric Nutrition in Practice. World Rev Nutr Diet. Basel, Karger, 2015, vol 113, pp 72–77

DOI: 10.1159/000369235