The first thousand days of life – starting from conception – are vital to set people on the path to lifelong health and wellbeing. That’s why it’s the focus of the SAHMRI Women & Kids Theme.
Dr Merryn Netting is an integral member of the theme. Her primary interest lies in the eating habits of infants and toddlers, and even pregnant mums, and the impact of nutrition on their health and how it influences allergies.
The Theme’s Child Nutrition Research Centre (CNRC) is dedicated to enhancing the health outcomes of women and their children in Australia and worldwide through nutritional interventions. The CNRC’s efforts target reducing prematurity and associated health consequences, supporting optimal growth and cognitive development, and minimising allergic disease in early childhood.
The CNRC conducts two major largescale pregnancy trials, the PoppiE trial and the PrEggNut study. PoppiE aims to identify the optimal levels of iodine intake for pregnant women to improve cognitive outcomes in children. PrEggNut investigates whether the amount of eggs and peanuts a mother consumes during pregnancy and breastfeeding influences her baby’s food allergy development.
The Australian Feeding Infants and Toddlers (OzFITS) Study recently documented the diets and feeding practices of children under two years. The study compared current diets with the Australian dietary guidelines, finding that 90% of infants aged 6-12 months consume far less than the recommended 7mg of iron daily.
SAHMRI Women and Kids’ vision includes improving women’s health, reducing the risk of early birth, preventing stillbirth, and lessening the burden of childhood allergies.
To achieve their vision, the SAHMRI Women and Kids team is embedded within health services and collaborates with various child-focused community organisations.
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SAHMRI is South Australia’s world-class independent not-for-profit health and medical research institute, but we can’t do what we do without you. We rely on the support of Australians to fund our life changing work.
Your generous donation brings SAHMRI one step closer to a healthier, happier future for everyone.
Donate here at sahmri.org.au/donate
