Current nutritional status of mothers and children in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

Forty-six mothers and children from the United Arab Emirates participated in a pilot study to determine possible micronutrient deficiencies in the country. Thirty-five per cent [35%] of the children and 21% of the mothers had low serum ferritin levels, while 30% of the mothers had low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D with 28% of mothers having a low serum folate status. These deficiencies are widespread in the nationals of the United Arab Emirates. In view of the increasing importance of intrauterine and early infant nutrition, further investigation and a national study seem warranted

Prelacteal feeding practices among lactating mothers in Benin City, Nigeria

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding is the cornerstone of adequate early infant nutrition. Despite the acknowledged gains of Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) and other interventional measures in ensuring optimal infant nutrition, it is still a common practice for newborn babies to be givensubstances other than breast milk within the first day of life.Methods: To re-examine why this is so, a prospective, cross-sectionalstudy involving mothers with recent history of lactation was carried. Itinvolved 403 mothers attending the well Baby Clinic of the Universityof Benin Teaching Hospital in 2009. A semi structured questionnairewas used in obtaining relevant information on pre-lacteal feeding.Results: The prevalence of prelacteal feeding was 11.7%. Wateronly constituted the most common (44.3%) pre-lacteal feed. Otherfeeds administered included glucose drink, (37.2%), and honey (4.6%).The reasons for pre-lacteal feeding included perceived delayed lactationand the need to keep the body warm and mouth moist. The younger the respondents, the more likely she would practice pre-lacteal feeding (X2 = 11.4; p = 0.022). Also significantly associated with pre-lacteal feeding is the route of delivery. Pre-lacteal feeding was commoner with surgical deliveries (X2 = 7.0; p = 0.05). Pre-lacteal feeding was however un-associated with respondents’ tribe, educational status, religion and place of delivery. Pre-lacteal feeding remains a challenge to adequate infant nutrition.Conclusion/Recommendations: There is need for further enlightenmenton the dangers inherent in the practice. Education of the populacewould need to be improved upon if the initial gains accruing fromBFHI are not to be reversed.Key words: Pre-lacteal feeding Infant, Nutrition, Benin City.

Infant nutrition and allergy

Over the past several decades, the incidence of atopic diseases such as asthma, atopic dermatitis and food allergies has increased dramatically. Although atopic diseases have a clear genetic basis, environmental factors, including early infant nutrition, may have an important influence on their development. Therefore, attempts have been made to reduce the risk of the development of allergy using dietary modifications, mainly focused on longer breast-feeding and delayed introduction or elimination of foods identified as potentially most allergenic. Recently, there is also an increasing interest in the active prevention of atopy using specific dietary components. Many studies have shown that breast-feeding may have the protective effect against future atopic dermatitis and early childhood wheezing. Concerning complementary feeding, there is evidence that the introduction of complementary foods before 4 months of age may increase the risk for atopic dermatitis. However, there is no current convincing evidence that delaying introduction of solids after 6 months of age has a significant protective effect on the development of atopic disease regardless of whether infants are fed cow's milk protein formula or human subject's milk, and this includes delaying the introduction of foods that are considered to be highly allergic, such as fish, eggs and foods containing peanut protein. In conclusion, as early nutrition may have profound implications for long-term health and atopy later in life, it presents an opportunity to prevent or delay the onset of atopic diseases.

Role of Gut Microbiota in Early Infant Development

Early colonization of the infant gastrointestinal tract is crucial for the overall health of the infant, and establishment and maintenance of non-pathogenic intestinal microbiota may reduce several neonatal inflammatory conditions. Much effort has therefore been devoted to manipulation of the composition of the microbiota through 1) the role of early infant nutrition, particularly breast milk, and supplementation of infant formula with prebiotics that positively influence the enteric microbiota by selectively promoting growth of beneficial bacteria and 2) oral administration of probiotic bacteria which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. While the complex microbiota of the adult is difficult to change in the long-term, there is greater impact of the diet on infant microbiota as this is not as stable as in adults. Decreasing excessive use of antibiotics and increasing the use of pre- and probiotics have shown to be beneficial in the prevention of several important infant diseases such as necrotizing enterocolitis and atopic eczema as well as improvement of short and long-term health. This review addresses how the composition of the gut microbiota becomes established in early life, its relevance to infant health, and dietary means by which it can be manipulated.