Plenary Talk: The Gut Microbiota in Early Life, Target for Nutrition and Health

Our intestinal microbiota forms an integral part of normal human physiology, and disturbances of the normal gut microbiology have been linked to some important health and disease issues. Newborns are essentially sterile and the microbiota establishes from the very first days of life. These first colonizers may play an important role in the development of the symbiosis and may impact the long-term composition and activity of the microbiota. Considering the importance of the microbiota on the human immune, metabolic, and neurological systems, it is important to understand the dynamics and driving determinants of this development. The development of the human gut microbiota is dependent on many factors, as for example, host genetics, mode of delivery, antibiotic use, etc., but also the diet is clearly an important factor.

Exclusive human milk feeding is widely recommended as the first choice of infant nutrition, not only providing optimal nutrition, but also bioactive components that are crucial for optimal gut development, immune maturation, metabolic development, and even cognitive development. Since breast feeding may not always be possible, human milk substitutes have to provide the best nutrition and functional properties similar to human milk. Based on insights from human milk research and an increasing understanding of the importance of the gut microbiota, specific concepts for infant formulas have been developed in the past years. The impact of these on the early microbiota as well as some potential health benefits will be presented.