In order for children to reach their full potential, adequate feeding and intake of essential macro- and micronutrients are important during the critical period of growth and development.
In a recent study initiated by FrieslandCampina – known as South East Asian Nutrition Survey (SEANUTS II) – the nutritional status, dietary intake and lifestyle behaviour of nearly 14,000 children aged 6 months to 12 years old were studied in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The study reveals a ‘triple burden’ of malnutrition in these countries, including undernutrition, overweight, and micronutrient deficiencies.
>70% of children are not meeting the average needs for calcium
>84% are not getting the recommended intake of vitamin D
>24% of children younger than 4 years old have anaemia
Click here to gain valuable insights into the nutritional landscape of children in SEA.
Parents are increasingly seeking for convenient nutritional solutions for their children. In the APAC region, over 45% of parents express concerns about their child’s growth & development, while 70% report giving their children powdered milk drinks
Parental survey, FrieslandCampina Ingredients & YouGov, Vietnam and Indonesia, n=1000, 2022.
This format is particularly common in Chinese and Indonesian families.
Adequate mineral intake in early life is essential to support bone development
EFSA Panel, Calcium and bone growth, 2008
and cognitive function.
EFSA Panel, Iron and formation of red blood cells and haemoglobin, oxygen transport, energy-yielding metabolism, function of the immune system, cognitive function, 2009
EFSA Panel, Magnesium and electrolyte balance, energy-yielding metabolism, neurotransmission and muscle contraction including heart muscle, cell division, 2009
• GOS supplementation has been shown to improve calcium absorption in young girls.
Whisner, C. et al., 2013
In infants, GOS supplementation has been found to enhance iron absorption and mitigate the adverse effects of iron supplementation in the gut.
Paganini, D. et al., 2017
• GOS fermentation by gut bacteria releases short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which decreases the pH in the colon and so enhances the solubility of minerals.
Ben, X.-M. et al., 2004
Sierra, C. et al., 2014
Whisner, et al., 2018
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