Infant Health: Nutrition as Foundation

From the womb through the first years of life, proper nutrition and immune function are paramount to a childs health and development. Probiotics, prebiotics and fats such as omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are increasingly important parts of the equationfor mothers and childrenwhether obtained through supplements, functional foods, breastfeeding, infant formula or other means. The articles in this issue were contributed by speakers from the Infant Health stream at 2016s Vitafoods Europe Conference. Report takeaways include: * Research indicates DHA supplementation positively impacts markers of immune development; * Functional foods with probiotics may help prevent and treat intestinal infections in children; * With a 2015 retail global value of US$47 billion, milk formula is the largest packaged food category.