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Infant and childhood nutrition is the basis of an individual’s health in later life. Multiple lines of evidence – from experimental to epidemiological – are converging to highlight the importance of this early period for metabolic programming, physiological growth, and cognition. This is the cornerstone of the “developmental origin of health and disease” (DOHAD) paradigm, underscoring the significance of infancy and early childhood for setting the foundation for health. Any public health intervention that seeks to improve the general health of a population or combat disease should, therefore, target infants and children in order to reap the greatest benefits.

Yet, there is little mechanistic evidence to reveal how. Some of the answers can be found in studying diet and eating behavior: food choices and dietary habits go hand in hand with nutrition. Eating is a key skill that develops during early life. Between conception and childhood, the mode of feeding drastically evolves, from amniotic fluid, to breastfeeding, weaning, and independent feeding. Not only does the child learn how to eat, but also what to eat, how much, and in what context. During this time, infants discover the intrinsic properties of foods, along with the variety of tastes, flavors, and textures. These earliest sensations pave the way for food choice, steering an individual towards a lifetime of healthy (or unhealthy) eating patterns.

The 91st Nestlé Nutrition Institute Workshop on Nurturing a Healthy Generation of Children: Research Gaps and Opportunities , which took place in Manila (Philippines) in March 2018, highlighted the importance of childhood diets, eating behaviors, and potential impacts on development and health. The first session chaired by Dr. Sophie Nicklaus (INRA, French National Institute for Agricultural Research, France) examined the development of taste in infants, revealing how taste preferences are shaped in utero and throughout weaning, and guide the individual’s later food choices. The theme of the second session, led by Dr. Christiani Jeyakumar Henry (National University of Singapore), focused on what do children really eat in different parts of the world. FITS (Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study) and KNHS (Kids Nutrition and Health Study) provided a glimpse into the diets of children around the world, identifying nutrition gaps and potential areas for intervention. The workshop ended with a final session on the most important meal of the day: breakfast. This session chaired by Prof. Theresa A. Nicklas (Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA) concluded the 3 days of the fascinating scientific forum.

The key learnings from this workshop provide valuable insight for policy makers, researchers, and health care professionals on how diet and feeding behavior during each of these stages can influence health and disease.

We would like to thank the three chairpersons Sophie Nicklaus, Christiani Jeyakumar Henry, and Theresa A. Nicklas for putting the scientific program together.

We would also like to thank all speakers and scientific experts in the audience, who contributed to the workshop content and scientific discussions. Finally, we thank Dr. Josephine Yuson-Sunga, her team in the Philippines, and the NNI team in Switzerland for their support and nice hospitality.

Dr. Natalia Wagemans

Head of Nestlé Nutrition Institute

Vevey, Switzerland