The First 1,000 Days of Infant and Young Child Nutrition: The Philippine Experience

Manila, Philippines
03/09/2013 – 04/09/2013
Diamond Hotel

It is now known that good nutrition during the 1,000-day period between the start of a woman’s pregnancy through to her child’s second birthday lays the foundation for a healthy and productive future, both for the individual child as well as the entire country. Malnutrition during this critical period results in irreversible physical and cognitive impairments that prevent children from achieving their full potential. It is therefore essential that mothers in developing countries like the Philippines are given the opportunity to provide their children a healthy start in life.

The health of mothers, their new-born infants and young children in the Philippines remains a major concern. The country has a high, albeit declining, prevalence of low birth weight infants and high maternal mortality rates. Among young children, the prevalence of stunting has increased.

Doubts have been raised as to whether the Philippines can achieve the millennium development goals of reducing maternal mortality rates and the incidence of under nutrition.

SEMINAR OBJECTIVES

The seminar aimed to:

  • Examine the current nutrition and health status of adolescent females, pregnant and lactating women and their implications on the health of infants and young children from birth up to age 2 years
  • Discuss existing programs that address the needs of adolescent females, pregnant and lactating mothers, and children age 0-24 months
  • Identify gaps in existing knowledge and programs using a continuum of care perspective

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Policy makers and government representatives involved in health promotion, NGO’s, Academia, Nutrition and Health professionals, Food and Food Ingredients Industry.

PROGRAM TOPICS

  • Focus on adolescent females
  • Focus on pregnant and lactating women
  • Focus on infants and young children
    • Nutrition and health status
    • Programs and interventions
    • Assessment of gaps in existing knowledge and programs
    • Impact of maternal nutrition on birth outcomes (physical and cognitive effects)

PRESENTATIONS

The Science Behind Fetal Programming: Mechanisms Through Which Early Nutrition Influences Later Health Outcomes
Dr. Judith Borja, University of San Carlos, Cebu City, Philippines
PDF

Research In Support of the Pregnant and Lactating Woman
Dr. Grace Agrasada, Philippine General Hospital, Manila, Philippines
PDF