Nutrition of infants and young children (one to three years) and its effect on later health: A systematic review of current recommendations (EarlyNutrition project).
BACKGROUND
EarlyNutrition ( www.project-earlynutrition.eu ) is an international research project investigating the effects of early nutrition on metabolic programming.


OBJECTIVE
To summarize, by performing a systematic review, current standards, recommendations, guidelines, and regulations (hereafter, referred to as documents) on the nutrition of children up to three years of age. Special emphasis was placed on long-term effects of early nutrition, such as the risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, overweight, obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, or glucose intolerance.


METHODS
MEDLINE, selected databases, and websites were searched for documents published between 2008 and January 2013.


RESULTS
Forty two documents met the inclusion criteria. The strongest and most consistent evidence for a protective, long-term effect was documented for breastfeeding. Also, limiting the intake of sodium and rapidly absorbed carbohydrates, use of a specific meal pattern, reducing the consumption of saturated fatty acids by replacing them with polyunsaturated fatty acids, and lowering the intake of trans fatty acids, seems beneficial. Many documents did not evaluate long-term outcomes of interest to us, or reported insufficient or imprecise data. Inconsistency in recommendations for some outcomes and research gaps were identified.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings may serve as a helpful tool in planning further research, preventive actions against important diet-related diseases, and guidelines improvement.
a Department of Pediatrics , The Medical University of Warsaw , Warsaw , Poland.
Bartłomiej Mateusz
BM
Zalewski
a Department of Pediatrics , The Medical University of Warsaw , Warsaw , Poland.
Bernadeta
B
Patro
b Department of Pediatrics , VU University Medical Center Amsterdam , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.
Margriet
M
Veldhorst
b Department of Pediatrics , VU University Medical Center Amsterdam , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.
Stefanie
S
Kouwenhoven
c Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology , La Fe University Hospital , Valencia , Spain.
Paula
P
Crespo Escobar
c Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology , La Fe University Hospital , Valencia , Spain.
Joaquim
J
Calvo Lerma
d Division of Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, University of Munich Medical Centre, Klinikum d. Univ. München , München , Germany.
Berthold
B
Koletzko
b Department of Pediatrics , VU University Medical Center Amsterdam , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.|e Department of Pediatrics , Emma Children's Hospital , Amsterdam Medical Center , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.
Johannes Bernard
JB
van Goudoever
a Department of Pediatrics , The Medical University of Warsaw , Warsaw , Poland.
Hania
H
Szajewska
D001942:Breast Feeding; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000517:prevention & control; D002149:Energy Intake; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000517:prevention & control; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000592:standards*; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012982:Sodium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis
D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D012982:Sodium, Dietary
Obesity, early nutrition, children, infants, recommendations, systematic review