Metabolic imprinting

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to the field of nutrition. In particular the present invention relates to infant nutrition in the post natal period and in early life, more particular during the age period of 6-36 months or during a part thereof One embodiment of the present invention is a kit of diet compositions for children during the age period of 6-36 months or during a part thereof, wherein the macronutrient content of the compositions is gradually changing in the form of a straight line from a composition that comprises about 40-50% energy from fat and about 40-49% energy from carbohydrates for children at the age of 6 months to a composition that comprises about 30-35% energy from fat and about 50-55% energy from carbohydrates for children at the age of 36 months, and its use to prevent obesity later in life. Another embodiment relates to a range of shclf-stablc baby food products having an optimal energy profile for meeting the nutritional needs of an infant at a specific stage of infant development.

1 . A kit of nutritional compositions for children age 6-36 month, comprising a macronutrient content that gradually changes in a substantially straight line from a composition that comprises about 40-50% energy from fat and about 40-49% energy from carbohydrates for children at the age of 6 months to a composition that comprises about 30-35% energy from fat and about 50-55% energy from carbohydrates for children at the age of 36 months. 
     
     
         2 . The kit in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the diet compositions are daily compositions. 
     
     
         3 . The kit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the total energy content of the composition is gradually changing in the form of a substantially straight line from a composition that comprises about 670-715 kcal/day for children at the age of 6 months to a composition that comprises about 1000-1200 kcal/day for children at the age of 36 months. 
     
     
         4 . The kit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the content of the diet composition is adjusted daily, based on the age of the child and the corresponding optimal fat content and carbohydrate content of the composition. 
     
     
         5 . The kit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the content of the diet composition is adjusted weekly, based on the age of the child and the corresponding optimal fat content and carbohydrate content of the composition. 
     
     
         6 . The kit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the content of the diet composition is adjusted monthly, based on the age of the child and the corresponding optimal fat content and carbohydrate content of the composition. 
     
     
         7 . The kit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the content of the diet composition is adjusted stepwise, based on the age of the child and we corresponding optimal fat content and carbohydrate content of the composition. 
     
     
         8 . The kit in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the composition is adjusted in 3-10 steps during the age of 6-36 months. 
     
     
         9 . The kit in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the composition is adjusted in 3-4 steps during the age of 6-36 months. 
     
     
         10 . The kit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the content of the diet composition is adjusted stepwise, based on the age of the child and the corresponding optimal fat content and carbohydrate content of the composition, at the age of the child of 6, 8, 12, 18, 24 and 36 months. 
     
     
         11 . The kit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the content of the diet composition is adjusted also with respect to the total calorie content based on the age of the child and the corresponding optimal calorie content of the composition. 
     
     
         12 . The kit in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising
 at least one diet composition that comprises about 44-46% energy from fat and about 47-49% energy from carbohydrates for children age 6-8 months;   at least one diet composition that comprises about 39-41% energy from fat and about 49-52% energy from carbohydrate for children age 8-12 months; and   at least one diet composition that comprises about 34-35% energy from fat and about 51-53% energy from carbohydrate for children age 12-36 months.   
     
     
         13 . The kit in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the at least one diet composition comprises about 670-715 kcal/day during the age of 6-8 months, about 715-850 kcal/day for children age 8-12 months, and about 750-1200 kcal/day for children age 12-36 months. 
     
     
         14 . The kit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the diet compositions further comprise a protein source. 
     
     
         15 . The kit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the content of carbohydrates in the compositions is gradually changing from a composition that comprises about 48% energy from carbohydrates for children at the age of 6 months to a composition that comprises about 53% energy from carbohydrates for children at the age of 36 months. 
     
     
         16 . The kit in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising diet compositions for at least one day. 
     
     
         17 . The kit in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising diet compositions for three days. 
     
     
         18 . The kit in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising diet compositions for a week. 
     
     
         19 . The kit in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising diet compositions for a month. 
     
     
         20 . The kit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the diet compositions represent individual meals. 
     
     
         21 . The kit in accordance with  claim 20 , comprising at least 3 individual meals. 
     
     
         22 . The kit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the diet compositions represent a total diet. 
     
     
         23 . A method for reducing the risk of obesity in children 6-36 months old comprising the steps of administering a series of diet compositions, wherein the macronutrient content of the compositions is gradually changing from a composition that comprises about 40-50% energy from fat and about 40-49% energy from carbohydrates for children at the age of 6 months to a composition that comprises about 30-35% energy from fat and about 50-55% energy from carbohydrates for children at the age of 36 months. 
     
     
         24 . A method for developing a mealplan for children age 6-36 months comprising a macronutrient content that gradually changes in a substantially straight line from a composition that comprises about 40-50% energy from fat and about 40-49% energy from carbohydrates for children at the age of 6 months to a composition that comprises about 30-35% energy from fat and about 50-55% energy from carbohydrates for children at the age of 36 months. 
     
     
         25 . A range of shelf-stable baby food products having an optimal energy profile for meeting the nutritional needs of an infant at a specific stage of infant development, wherein two or more baby food products from the range may be combined to provide an optimal energy profile for meeting the nutritional needs of an infant at a particular stage of infant development. 
     
     
         26 . The range of  claim 25 , wherein the stages of infant development are selected from:
 (i) from about 4 to about 6 months of age (Stage 1);   (ii) from about 6 to about 8 months of age (Stage 2);   (iii) from about 8 to about 12 months of age (Stage 3); and   (iv) from about 12 to about 36 months of age (Stage Junior).   
     
     
         27 . The range of  claim 26 , wherein the total optimum daily energy intake for stage 1 is between about 530 and about 700 kcal/day, preferably about 625 kcal/day, for stage 2 is between about 620 and about 720 kcal/day, preferably about 670 kcal/day, for stage 3 is between about 680 and about 930 kcal/day, preferably about 770 kcal/day, and for stage junior is between about 810 and about 1180 kcal/day, preferably about 1040 kcal/day. 
     
     
         28 . The range of  claim 25 , or any of  claims 25  to  27 , wherein two or more baby food products from the range may be combined with the daily milk intake of an infant to provide an optimal daily energy intake of an infant at a particular stage of infant development. 
     
     
         29 . The range of  claim 26 , or any of  claims 26  to  28 , wherein two or more baby food products from the range provide a daily energy intake for stage 1 of between about 68 and about 238 kcal/day, preferably about 167 kcal/day, for stage 2 of between about 158 and about 258 kcal/day, preferably about 243 kcal/day, for stage 3 of between about 345 and about 595 kcal/day, preferably about 448 kcal/day, and for stage junior of between about 475 and about 845 kcal/day, preferably about 693 kcal/day. 
     
     
         30 . The range of  claim 29 , wherein the difference between the daily energy intake provided by the two or more baby food products and the optimum daily energy intake for each stage of infant development is provided by the daily milk intake of an infant. 
     
     
         31 . The range of  claim 25 , or any of  claims 25  to  30 , wherein a daily intake of baby food products from the range has an average energy density of at least about 0.6 kcal/g, preferably at least about 0.67 kcal/g, most preferably about 1 kcal/g. 
     
     
         32 . The range of  claim 25 , or any of  claims 25  to  31 , wherein one or more daily feeding schedules are provided which comprise suggested combinations of baby food products from the range of baby food products, said combinations providing an optimal energy profile for meeting the nutritional needs of an infant at a particular stage of infant development. 
     
     
         33 . The range of  claim 32 , wherein one or more daily feeding schedules are provided for each stage of infant development. 
     
     
         34 . The range of  claim 26 , or any of  claims 26  to  33 , wherein the total optimum daily fat intake for stage 1 is about 45% E, for stage 2 is between about 43% E and about 45% E, for stage 3 is between about 40% E and about 43% E, and for stage junior is between about 30% E and about 40% E. 
     
     
         35 . The range of  claim 26 , or of any of  claims 26  to  34 , wherein two or more baby food products from the range provide a daily fat intake for stage 1 of between about 18% E and about 27% E, for stage 2 of between about 22% E and about 29% E, for stage 3 of between about 21% E and about 36% E, and for stage junior of between about 22% E and about 40% E. 
     
     
         36 . The range of  claim 35 , wherein the difference between the daily fat intake provided by the two or more baby food products and the optimum daily fat intake for each stage of infant development is provided by the daily milk intake of an infant. 
     
     
         37 . The range of  claim 25  or any of  claims 25  to  36 , wherein the baby food products have a protein density of between about 1.5 g/100 kcal and about 3.2 g/100 kcal. 
     
     
         38 . The range of  claim 25 , or any of  claims 25  to  37 , wherein the baby food products comprise complete meals or incomplete meals. 
     
     
         39 . The range according to  claim 38 , wherein a complete meal comprises two or more incomplete meals. 
     
     
         40 . The range of  claim 25 , or any of  claims 25  to  39 , wherein each baby food product comprises a serving size of between about 65 g and about 350 g. 
     
     
         41 . The range of  claim 26 , or any of  claims 26  to  40 , wherein each baby food product comprises a serving size of between about 65 g and about 100 g for stage 1, of between about 65 g and about 100 g for stage 2, of between about 130 g and about 200 g for stage 3, and between about 130 g and about 350 g for stage junior. 
     
     
         42 . A feeding regime for meeting the nutritional needs of an infant during different stages of infant development, the regime comprising administering to an infant a range of baby food products of  claim 25 , or any of  claims 25  to  41 . 
     
     
         43 . The use of a range of  claim 25 , or any of  claims 25  to  42 , in the manufacture of a medicament for the prevention or treatment of a nutritionally related disorder in an infant. 
     
     
         44 . The use of  claim 43 , wherein the nutritionally related disease is selected from obesity, malnutrition, diabetes and heart disease.