Media invitation - Is there a link between maternal nutrition and the adult
onset of chronic diseases?

Well-known experts on nutrition share new perspectives

MONTREAL, April 20 /CNW Telbec/ - The first observation of the link between heart disease and birth weight was made in the UK. This theory, known as The Barker Theory, established a correlation between foetal development and the adult onset of certain chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease as well as high blood pressure, stroke, type 2 diabetes and obesity, osteoporosis, aging, and breast and ovarian cancer.

Studies in the US, in India and in other European countries have also confirmed these new insights and now Canadian medical experts will examine the increasing importance attributed to foetal and newborn nutrition in adult disease development and prevention.

Organized by the Danone Institute of Canada, the symposium, "Feed me, Mommy: can a healthy diet during pregnancy and baby's infancy reduce the risk of future illness" will be an opportunity to shed more light on this important issue.

Danone Institute's mission is to improve the health and well being of Canadians through better nutrition. Its mandate is to promote nutritional behaviour changes in the general public and vulnerable populations with an emphasis on childhood nutrition.

    
    What:     Danone Institute of Canada Symposium on Maternal Nutrition
    Where:    SIAL Montréal 2010
              Palais des congrès de Montréal
              5th floor, Room 522 ABC
    When:     Thursday, April 22, from 9:00 am to 12 pm

    Program:

    9:05 am   Opening remarks and introduction
              Dr. Peter Jones, PhD
              President of the Danone Institute of Canada

    9:15 am   Presentation of the 2010 Danone Nutrition Leadership Award to
              Dr. Stanley Zlotkin, CM, MD. Ph.D., FRCPC
              Professor, Department of Paediatrics, Nutritional Sciences and
              Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of
              Toronto

              Dr. Zlotkin is being recognized for developing Sprinkles, a
              dry, tasteless, single-serving packet of nutrients that is
              inexpensive to manufacture and easy to distribute, ensuring
              children in rural areas of the developing world, those who are
              ultra-poor, and other vulnerable children receive the nutrients
              to prevent anemia, the most prevalent nutrient deficiency in
              the world today.

    9:30 am   "Early Nutrition and Long-term Consequences on Health:
              The Power of Micronutrients"
              Dr. Robert Bertolo, Ph.D.
              Canada Research Chair in Human Nutrition
              Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry
              Memorial University of Newfoundland

    10:10 am  "Tomorrow's Gestational Diabetes"
              (Conference in French)
              Dr. Jean-Luc Ardilouze, M.D., Ph.D.
              Professor, Faculty of Medicine
              University of Sherbrooke

    11:05 am  "Maternal Nutrition and the Developmental Origins of Disease"
              Dr. Cynthia Mannion, RN, Ph.D.
              Academic Affiliate, Dietitians of Canada
              Assistant Professor, Faculty of Nursing
              University of Calgary

    11:45 am  Question period and closing remarks
              Dr. Peter Jones, Ph.D.
              President of the Danone Institute of Canada

    12:00 pm  End of the symposium
    

Dr. Peter Jones and Dr. Stanley Zlotkin will be available for media interviews from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

For further information: Mathieu Rouy, Enzyme, Cell: [phone]; Donna Battista, Enzyme, [phone] ext 283, Cell: [phone]