ARS | Publication request: Personalized Nutrition for the Diverse Needs of Infants and Children

Submitted to: Complete Book
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: September 1, 2007
Publication Date: August 12, 2008
Citation: Bier, D.M., German, B.J., Lonnerdal, B. (Editors). 2008. Personalized Nutrition for the Diverse Needs of Infants and Children. Nestle Nutrition Workshop Series Pediatric Program. Vol. 62. Switzerland: S. Karger AG. 262 p.

Technical Abstract: The field of nutrition is building the basic science necessary to produce a revolutionary shift in agriculture and public health, moving from dietary guidelines for populations to foods and diets for individuals. Considerable epidemiologic and mechanistic research has documented that humans respond differently to diets and display varying predispositions to many diet-dependent metabolic and degenerative diseases. The field of nutrigenomics is emerging with the goal of assigning this human diversity in nutritional response to diet and the subsequent consequences to human health to specific genetic elements. At the same time, breakthroughs in our understanding of developmental biology and the importance of diet to early human maturation and lifelong health have emphasized that diet is itself a critical determinant of human diversity. These two major emerging trends in nutrition converge on one life stage and one issue: how different are humans as infants and children with respect to nutritional needs and responses to diet? International experts in various fields whose research work interfaces with the nutrition of infants and children came together in Helsinki, Finland, for a workshop to address this critical subject to human health. The workshop focused on 4 clear questions. How do children differ? What are the consequences of these differences? Can we accurately assess differences? Can we act on these differences?