By Ana Pérez Expósito. “Each month that a baby breastfeeds reduces his risk of obesity by 4%.” That was the conclusion of the presentation on nutrition and infant growth that I attended a few weeks ago at an international conference on nutrition and growth. Yet upon exiting the conference room, we were greeted by an image of a happy, healthy child advertising one of the many … [Read more...] about Mother’s milk or formula: personal choice or collective responsibility?
Inter-sectoral programs: What have we learned?
Recently, several countries in the region – Colombia, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Peru, among others – are working on broad, cross-cutting early childhood development strategies and programs. They tend to include a wide range of services, such as pre and post-natal healthcare, lactation support, complementary nutrition, child growth and development monitoring, early stimulation and … [Read more...] about Inter-sectoral programs: What have we learned?
A preview of three important studies on early childhood development
By Monica Rubio. Over the past year, I’ve been following a process going on in Colombia to design and implement a comprehensive early childhood strategy called De Cero a Siempre (From Zero to Always). This strategy is based on the premise that child development and wellbeing do not automatically follow on the heels of economic growth. Rather, they are a product of a … [Read more...] about A preview of three important studies on early childhood development
Cuna Más’ first steps on the path to success
By María Fernanda Merino. March 24 is an important date for early childhood development in Peru. That’s the day when Cuna Más, an innovative program under the Social Inclusion and Development Ministry (MIDIS), will be launched. Some think of an inauguration as being good for little more than a photo opportunity. However in this case, it’s the culmination of a process that … [Read more...] about Cuna Más’ first steps on the path to success
What versus how do we feed our children?
The first time I watched this video, which was produced by our friends at the Instituto de Investigación Nutricional (Nutrition Research Institute) in Peru, I couldn’t stop thinking – and feeling guilty – about the times I had rushed my daughters when I fed them. The video has a clear message: good nutrition depends not just on what we feed our children, but also how they … [Read more...] about What versus how do we feed our children?