NNI BITES, BIG LEARNINGS

Nestlé Nutrition Institute

Welcome to the NNI Podcast brought to you by Nestlé Nutrition Institute. NNI BITES, BIG LEARNINGS is a comprehensive podcast series that brings together esteemed experts from across the globe to explore the latest advancements in pediatric and maternal nutrition. With a practical approach, each episode offers valuable insights and actionable knowledge, empowering clinicians to effectively translate the latest scientific findings into their clinical practice. This podcast series serves as an useful resource, providing clinicians with a wealth of information to address various nutritional challenges and find innovative solutions.

  1. Milestones in Pediatric Nutrition - Ready‑to‑Use Therapeutic Foods: Treating severe acute malnutrition at scale - Episode 9

    JAN 2

    Milestones in Pediatric Nutrition - Ready‑to‑Use Therapeutic Foods: Treating severe acute malnutrition at scale - Episode 9

    In this episode of Milestones in Pediatric Nutrition, Professor Andrew Prentice interviews Professor Mark Manary from Washington University and Adeline Lescanne, CEO of Nutriset, about ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF) for severe acute malnutrition (SAM). Professor Manary describes how hospital-based treatment historically achieved only 45% recovery rates, prompting exploration of home-based alternatives. The RUTF concept, inspired by low-moisture foods like chocolate spread and halva, emerged through collaboration between André Briend and Michel Lescanne. Initial clinical trials in 2001 demonstrated dramatic improvements, achieving 90% recovery rates compared to 45% with traditional hospital care. The low water content prevents bacterial growth, enabling safe community-based treatment. Nutriset developed the Plumpy Field network, establishing local manufacturing facilities across 12-13 countries including Haiti, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and India, maintaining rigorous quality control from raw material sourcing through finished product testing. The company has treated over 65 million malnourished children. The episode highlights how RUTF has become a standard of care for community-based SAM management and underscores the importance of sustained partnerships and investment to ensure continued access for children who need treatment. For Healthcare Professionals Only Nestlé Nutrition Institute

    27 min
  2. Milestones in Pediatric Nutrition - DOHaD (Developmental Origins): The lifelong imprint of early nutrition - Episode 6

    12/30/2025

    Milestones in Pediatric Nutrition - DOHaD (Developmental Origins): The lifelong imprint of early nutrition - Episode 6

    In this episode of Milestones in Pediatric Nutrition, Professor Andrew Prentice interviews Professor Chittaranjan Yajnik about the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) theory. Professor Yajnik traces its origins to David Barker's "Fetal Origins of Adult Disease" hypothesis, which demonstrated geographic correlations between early-life deprivation and adult cardiovascular disease mortality across English counties. The theory has evolved beyond hypothesis status, supported by cohort studies, animal models, and research demonstrating how intrauterine and early-life conditions influence later risk of non-communicable diseases. Professor Yajnik discusses his collaboration with Barker beginning in 1991 and explains why India provided an ideal research setting given its high prevalence of low birth weight and rapidly increasing diabetes rates. He highlights the "Yajnik-Yudkin (YY) paradox," demonstrating that Indians develop diabetes at younger ages with lower BMI but higher body fat percentages compared to Europeans. The "thin-fat Indian baby syndrome" further showed that Indian newborns, despite being 800 grams lighter, exhibit proportionally higher adiposity and metabolic risk markers at birth, establishing critical evidence for DOHaD's relevance in South Asian populations and informing early-life intervention strategies. For Healthcare Professionals Only Nestlé Nutrition Institute

    36 min

About

Welcome to the NNI Podcast brought to you by Nestlé Nutrition Institute. NNI BITES, BIG LEARNINGS is a comprehensive podcast series that brings together esteemed experts from across the globe to explore the latest advancements in pediatric and maternal nutrition. With a practical approach, each episode offers valuable insights and actionable knowledge, empowering clinicians to effectively translate the latest scientific findings into their clinical practice. This podcast series serves as an useful resource, providing clinicians with a wealth of information to address various nutritional challenges and find innovative solutions.