Disturbances of diet during pregnancy and early postnatal life may impact colonization of gut microbiota during early life, which could influence infant health, leading to potential long-lasting consequences later in life. This is a nonsystematic review that explores the recent scientific literature to provide a general perspective of this broad topic. Several studies have shown that gut microbiota composition is related to changes in metabolism, energy balance, and immune system disturbances through interaction between microbiota metabolites and host receptors by the gut-brain axis. Moreover, recent clinical studies suggest that an intestinal dysbiosis in gut microbiota may result in cognitive disorders and behavioral problems. Furthermore, recent research in the field of brain imaging focused on the study of the relationship between gut microbial ecology and large-scale brain networks, which will help to decipher the influence of the microbiome on brain function and potentially will serve to identify multiple mediators of the gut-brain axis. Thus, knowledge about optimal nutrition by modulating gut microbiota-brain axis activity will allow a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the crosstalk between gut microbiota and the developing brain during critical windows. In addition, this knowledge will open new avenues for developing novel microbiota-modulating based diet interventions during pregnancy and early life to prevent metabolic disorders, as well as neurodevelopmental deficits and brain functional disorders.

While a wide knowledge exists on the effects of breast milk or infant formula on growth and infant development, less attention has been paid to the importance of complementary feeding (CF). This review focuses on current recommendations for optimal introduction of CF in healthy full-term European infants and discusses the potential impact of this type of feeding on health outcomes. Overall, exclusive breastfeeding is recommended at least for 4 months and preferable for 6 months, followed by the introduction of CF alongside breast milk; infants’ nutrient requirements must meet the differences between nutrients provided by breast milk and the estimated total needs. There is growing evidence that healthy feeding practices during the CF period have positive short- and long-term effects on optimal growth, body composition, neurodevelopment, healthy food preferences, and gut microbiota composition and function; adequate and healthy CF may also diminish the risk of infections, allergies, type 1 diabetes mellitus, as well as celiac and non-communicable diseases. Following the expert recommendations, the design of nutritional strategies must encourage parents to provide a healthy lifestyle for their offspring. Future research should aim to optimize timing, content, and methods of CF; furthermore, it is necessary to explore future CF-targeted health-promoting strategies in early life (appetite regulation, eating patterns, eating behavior, gut dysbiosis, etc.) to prevent growth/obesity outcomes, immune system related-diseases or non-communicable diseases in later life.

Postnatal nutrition is essential for growth and neurodevelopment. We analyzed the influence of a new enriched-infant formula with bioactive compounds on growth, neurodevelopment, and visual function (VF) in healthy infants during their first 18 months of life. A total of 170 infants were randomized in the COGNIS randomized clinical trial (RCT) to receive a standard infant formula (SF = 85) or a new experimental infant formula supplemented with functional nutrients (EF = 85). As a control, 50 breastfed infants (BF) were enrolled. Growth patterns were evaluated up to 18 months of life; neurodevelopment was assessed by general movements at 2, 3, and 4 months; VF was measured by cortical visual evoked potentials at 3 and 12 months. No differences in growth and neurodevelopment were found between groups. Regarding VF, SF and EF infants presented prolonged latencies and lower amplitudes in the P100 wave than BF infants. In the EF group, a higher percentage of infants presented response at 7½'of arc at 12 months compared to 3 months of age; a similar proportion of BF and EF infants presented responses at 7½'of arc at 12 months of age. Early nutritional intervention with bioactive compounds could narrow the gap in growth and neurodevelopment between breastfed and formula-fed infants.

Type of feeding during early life influences growth trajectory and metabolic risk at later stage of life. Modifications in infant formulas composition have led to evaluation of their effects on growth and energetic efficiency (EE) compared to breastfeeding. Aim: To analyse type of feeding potential effects during first months of life, plus its EE, on growth patterns in healthy formula fed [standard (SF) vs. enriched (EF)] and breastfed infants (BF) participating in the COGNIS RCT up to 18 months of age. Methods: Infants follow-up to 18 months of age (n=141) fed with a SF (n=48), a bioactive nutrients-enriched infant formula (EF, n=56), or BF (n=37), were assessed for growth parameters using WHO standards. Growth velocity and catch-up were calculated to identify growth patterns. EE of breast milk/infant formula was also estimated. Results: Infants’ growth at 6 months showed higher length and lower HC gains in SF and EF infants than BF infants. Both Weight-for-length and Weight-for-age catch-up growth, showed significant differences in formula fed groups compared to BF. No significant differences in growth velocity or catch-up were found at 6-12 and 12-18 months. Regarding EE, infant formula groups showed significantly lower weight and length gains/gram of milk-protein, and higher weight and length gains/gram of milk-lipids, than BF infants. Conclusion: Growth velocity during first 6 months, which may be influenced by feeding, seems to be the main predictor of subsequent growth trajectory. Breastfeeding may have positive effects on growth programming due to the EE of its nutrients.

Polymorphisms in the fatty acid desaturase (FADS) genes influence the arachidonic (AA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acid concentrations (crucial in early life). Infants with specific genotypes may require different amounts of these fatty acids (FAs) to maintain an adequate status. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of an infant formula supplemented with AA and DHA on FAs of infants with different FADS genotypes. In total, 176 infants from the COGNIS study were randomly allocated to the Standard Formula (SF; n = 61) or the Experimental Formula (EF; n = 70) group, the latter supplemented with AA and DHA. Breastfed infants were added as a reference group (BF; n = 45). FAs and FADS polymorphisms were analyzed from cheek cells collected at 3 months of age. FADS minor allele carriership in formula fed infants, especially those supplemented, was associated with a declined desaturase activity and lower AA and DHA levels. Breastfed infants were not affected, possibly to the high content of AA and DHA in breast milk. The supplementation increased AA and DHA levels, but mostly in major allele carriers. In conclusion, infant FADS genotype could contribute to narrow the gap of AA and DHA concentrations between breastfed and formula fed infants.

Nutrition during early life is essential for brain development and establishes the basis for cognitive and language skills development. It is well established that breastfeeding, compared to formula feeding, has been traditionally associated with increased neurodevelopmental scores up to early adulthood. We analyzed the long-term effects of a new infant formula enriched with bioactive compounds on healthy children’s language development at four years old. In a randomized double-blind COGNIS study, 122 children attended the follow-up call at four years. From them, 89 children were fed a standard infant formula (SF, n = 46) or an experimental infant formula enriched with functional nutrients (EF, n = 43) during their first 18 months of life. As a reference group, 33 exclusively breastfed (BF) were included. Language development was assessed using the Oral Language Task of Navarra-Revised (PLON-R). ANCOVA, chi-square test, and logistic regression models were performed. EF children seemed to show higher scores in use of language and oral spontaneous expression than SF children, and both SF and EF groups did not differ from the BF group. Moreover, it seems that SF children were more frequently categorized into “need to improve and delayed” in the use of language than EF children, and might more frequently present “need to improve and delayed” in the PLON-R total score than BF children. Finally, the results suggest that SF children presented a higher risk of suffering language development than BF children. Secondary analysis also showed a slight trend between low socioeconomic status and poorer language skills. The functional compound-enriched infant formula seems to be associated with beneficial long-term effects in the development of child’s language at four years old in a similar way to breastfed infants.

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Although early life nutrition influences brain development and mental health, the long-term effects of supplemented infant formula on children´s behavior remain unclear. We analyzed the effects of a bioactive nutrients-enriched-infant formula on children’s behavior up to 2.5 years, compared to a standard infant formula or breastfeeding. Current analysis involved 70 children who were fed a standard infant formula (SF, n = 29) or a bioactive compounds enriched-infant formula (EF, n = 41), during their first 18 months of life, and 33 breastfed (BF) children (reference group) participating in the COGNIS study. Behavioral problems were evaluated using the Child Behavior Checklist at 18 months and 2.5 years. Different statistical analyses were performed using SPSS. EF children aged 2.5 years presented fewer pathological affective problems than SF children. Besides, SF children were classified more frequently as bordering on internalizing problems than BF children. Rates of externalizing problems were increased in SF infants compared to EF and BF infants. Higher maternal IQ was found to have beneficial effects on internalizing and total problem rate in their offspring at 18 months of life; finally, higher maternal educational level was related with fewer ADHD problems in children at 18 months, as well as internalizing, externalizing, total and anxiety problems in children aged 2.5 years. Our analysis suggests that enriched infant formula fed infants seem to show fewer behavioral problems up to 2.5 years compared to a standard infant formula-fed infants. In addition to type of early feeding, maternal IQ and educational level seem to play a key role on children behavioral development.