Nutrition And Early Life Immune Health

With the new understanding of the relationship of the gut microbiome and immunity, and how the former may be a crucial driver for the latter, the potential of functional foods to modulate the microbiome is a strategy being heavily investigated.

The infant immune system maturation is supported by maternal antibody transfer from the placenta and breastmilk. But growing evidence now also suggest the microbiome exposure may begin even before vaginal birth, such as a suggested placental microbiome. Prof. Caroline Childs details these new findings, that relate with the potential importance of prebiotics in early life to impact long-term health. She also details how in relation to allergies, a disorder related to immune function, may possibly be helped by appropriate infant feeding strategies along with breastfeeding.