74th Nestlé Nutrition Institute Workshop: Maternal and Child nutrition: the first 1000 days

The Nestlé Nutrition Institute organized in March 2012 the 74th NNI workshop entitled: “Maternal and Child nutrition: the first 1000 days”. The importance of this topic globally and for the South East Asian region specifically, where rates of Low Birth Weight are as high as 25% of the annual birth rate, led the decision to host this workshop in India. The chairpersons – Prof. Zulfiqar A. Bhutta, Prof. Satish Kalhan and Prof. Jatinder Bhatia have established an excellent scientific program focusing on the prevention of low birth weight. It was highlighted that prevention has to start with the health of adolescent girls, being in childbearing age, throughout pregnancy and lactation. Overall the importance of appropriate diets during this critical period of high plasticity have been reviewed during the workshop. Finally, it was emphasized that the economic burden of low birth weight and later consequences, such as low education and reduced labour capacity, as well as the elevated risk of metabolic diseases later in live should drive the public health agenda. For more details please refer to the workshop publication and the related webinars