28^th World Nutrition and Pediatrics Healthcare Conference

2 Pediatric Nursing: Pediatric nursing is a specialized branch of nursing dedicated to the medical care of children from infancy to adolescence. It is a critical field given the unique health needs of children, which vary significantly from those of adults due to the ongoing growth and development during childhood. Nurses specializing in pediatric care, known as pediatric nurses, provide comprehensive support to children and adolescents, drawing upon a deep understanding of child development and growth. They are adept at recognizing and treating diseases and conditions specific to this population, which often require different approaches compared to adults.        

Pediatric nurses cultivate strong bonds with their young patients, fostering trusting relationships essential for effective care. While some aspects of pediatric nursing overlap with adult nursing practices, pediatric nurses approach their duties with heightened sensitivity and attentiveness. Their work demands extra care and consideration, ensuring the well-being of their vulnerable patients

3 Primary Health: Primary health, or primary care, serves as the initial access point for individuals in need of healthcare services. It forms the cornerstone of an effective healthcare system, offering the first step into medical assistance and functioning as a focal point for health education, illness prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of common ailments. Providers in primary healthcare encompass a range of professionals such as family physicians, general practitioners, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and others trained to deliver comprehensive care across all age groups.

Topics within primary healthcare include:

• Preventive Healthcare
• Chronic Disease Management
• Patient-Centered Care
• Care Coordination
• Technology Integration
• Rural Health Initiatives
• Primary Healthcare Workforce

4 Nutrition Technology: Advancements in technology open up fresh avenues for scientific exploration, enriching our comprehension of human mechanisms. This empowers researchers and professionals to augment conventional methodologies by employing diverse assessment instruments, propelling research forward and providing tailored guidance to patients.

One domain experiencing notable progress is nutrigenomics, delving into the intricate interplay between diet, nutrients, and gene expression. This encompasses the scrutiny of mRNA, proteins, and metabolites, serving as a potent research conduit to investigate the physiological ramifications of nutrition. Crucially, it elucidates the nexus between nutrition and health outcomes, offering pivotal insights into disease etiology. Nutrigenomics technology, an emergent discipline, facilitates the analysis of intricate biomarkers, potentially yielding novel indicators of health. Nevertheless, prudent measures are imperative to ensure the integration, validation, and significance of the amassed data

5 Sport & Exercise Nutrition: Nutrition plays a vital role not only in fostering healthy growth and development but also in optimizing sports performance among young athletes. Adequate intake of macronutrients, micronutrients, and fluids is essential to fuel their growth and sustain their activity levels. The realm of sports nutrition is constantly evolving, driven by ongoing clinical research, aiming to provide enhanced guidance and support for both active adults and competitive athletes. Scientifically, sports nutrition and energy intake are fundamental pillars of an athlete's dietary regimen, serving as the cornerstone of their success. Tailored to individual energy requirements and objectives, sports nutrition plans may vary daily, ensuring that each person's dietary needs and performance goals are addressed effectively. Ultimately, the food we consume and the hydration we maintain supply the energy necessary for both daily life and physical activity.

Themes covered:

• Exercise and Nutrition during Aging
• Physiology
• Dietetic & Behavioral Aspects
• Genetic, Clinical, or Methodological Aspects
• Sports Food
• Performance Supplements

6 Obesity and Weight Management: Obesity is characterized by an excessive accumulation of body fat, distinct from simply weighing too much. Various factors such as muscle, bone, fat, and bodily fluids contribute to overall weight. It typically arises from a calorie intake surpassing expenditure, with individual variations in this balance influenced by genetic predisposition, dietary habits, and physical activity levels. Associated health risks include diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, and certain cancers. Even a modest reduction of 5 to 10% in body weight can mitigate these risks for obese individuals.

Weight management entails adopting sustainable lifestyle changes tailored to an individual's age, gender, and height to maintain a healthy body weight. Strategies such as a balanced diet and regular physical activity are fundamental. Monitoring weight and waist circumference is crucial, with any upward trends signalling potential health risks. Those with a BMI over 25 should aim to prevent further weight gain, while increasing waist measurements indicate fat accumulation and muscle loss, warranting proactive measures.

Themes covered:

• Childhood Obesity
• Obesity - Complications and Diagnosis
• Morbid Obesity
• Obesity Research
• Obesity Management
• Obese Lifestyle
• Nutritional Aspects

7 Diet-Related Disorders: Our diet profoundly influences our lives and plays a critical role in maintaining overall health. Nutritional diseases encompass conditions resulting from deficiencies or excesses in essential nutrients, which can lead to various illnesses. As adults age, they are particularly susceptible to diet-related ailments such as hypertension, heart disease, cancer, and osteoporosis. While older individuals may require dietary modifications to manage these conditions, it's essential to respect their preferences and tailor diets to suit individual tastes. Nutritional diseases encompass a wide range of conditions, including dietary deficiencies or excesses, obesity, eating disorders, and chronic illnesses. Additionally, hereditary metabolic disorders responsive to dietary interventions, interactions between food and medications, food allergies and intolerances, and developmental abnormalities preventable through diet are among the diverse manifestations of nutritional diseases.

Themes covered:

• Cardiovascular Disease
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Food Allergies

8 Nutrition & Sustainable Diets: Around the globe, people are facing escalating rates of chronic diseases and nutrient deficiencies, all while grappling with limited natural resources, underscoring the critical importance of sustainable nutrition on a global scale. Sustainable nutrition involves ensuring access to healthy, nutrient-rich foods that are affordable, culturally appropriate, and environmentally responsible, while also safeguarding natural resources and supporting local communities. The concept of nutritional sustainability revolves around the ability of food systems to provide sufficient energy and essential nutrients to uphold population health without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their nutritional needs. Notably, advancements in nutritional sustainability often stem from innovations in the pet food industry, which frequently taps into alternative biomass sources and by-products from the human food chain. Transitioning to more sustainable diets and food systems is increasingly recognized as imperative, although it poses considerable challenges. According to the FAO, achieving dietary sustainability entails considerations of economic, socio-cultural, nutritional, and environmental factors.

Themes covered:

• Environmental Impacts of Agricultural Production
• Food/Nutrient Losses and Waste
• Nutrition-Driven Agriculture
• Sustainable Diets and Biodiversity
• Sustainable Diets and Food Systems
• Sustainable Solutions

9 Nutraceuticals: A nutraceutical product refers to a food or fortified food item that not only supplements the diet but also contributes to the treatment or prevention of disease (excluding anemia), thereby offering medicinal benefits. Nutraceuticals are subject to less testing and regulation compared to pharmaceutical drugs. What may serve as a functional food for one consumer can function as a nutraceutical for another. Examples of nutraceuticals encompass fortified dairy products like milk and citrus fruits such as orange juice. Numerous naturally occurring food substances have been investigated for their potential role in cancer therapies. In addition to conventional ingredients like vitamins, minerals, proteins, carotenoids, and fibers, formulators are incorporating elements such as plant sterols, polyphenols, probiotics, and fatty acids into nutraceutical products.

10 Pediatric Diseases and Disorders: Pediatric diseases pertain to conditions that impact children throughout their developmental stages. Experts in pediatric medicine specialize in evaluating and treating children with various immune system irregularities, whether acquired or congenital, and can offer guidance on travel vaccinations. These specialists address a wide spectrum of infections affecting infants and children, spanning viruses, bacteria, fungi, or parasites. They also manage infections impacting multiple body systems, those presenting unique or severe challenges, and those arising from compromised immune systems, such as AIDS. In pediatric healthcare, age serves as a critical factor in understanding the phenotypic variations in health and disease. Several studies have elucidated age-related patterns in illness. Nonetheless, to date, there exists no published data outlining a framework for categorizing prevalent pediatric disorders into distinct age groups.

11 Brain Nutrition: The human brain is a powerhouse, managing our thoughts, movements, respiration, heartbeat, and senses tirelessly around the clock. Nutrition is vital for its development and function, as the brain requires a constant supply of fuel derived from food. The quality of this fuel directly impacts the structure and performance of the brain. Consuming nutrient-rich foods abundant in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants nourishes the brain and shields it from oxidative stress, a key contributor to brain tissue damage. Interestingly, the medical community has only recently recognized the connection between mood and diet.

The human brain is an energy-hungry organ, consuming a significant amount of the body's total energy despite comprising only a small fraction of its mass. This high energy demand is driven by the metabolic needs of its neurons. In humans, the brain's energy consumption is further magnified by its large size relative to body mass. Over evolutionary time, the human brain has undergone significant expansion, tripling in size since our ancestors began walking upright millions of years ago. This growth has outpaced increases in body size, resulting in humans having the largest brain-to-body size ratio among mammals.

Nutrition is crucial for neuronal development in children and for safeguarding against neurodegeneration as we age. Additionally, the brain's role in nutrition and the impact of nutritional disorders on higher cerebral function are areas of ongoing research and concern

12 Pediatric Vaccines and Immunization: Vaccines are formulations primarily administered to children to prevent them from contracting severe, often life-threatening illnesses. They work by priming the body's natural defenses, enabling it to swiftly and effectively combat diseases upon exposure. By triggering an immune response tailored to specific pathogens, vaccines bolster the body's capacity to ward off infections. Should the virus or bacteria reappear, the immune system is already equipped to mount a robust defense. Vaccination plays a crucial role in shielding children, particularly those with developing immune systems like infants, from infections capable of causing serious harm or even death. Failure to vaccinate risks the resurgence of diseases such as measles, diphtheria, and polio, once eradicated in many regions. Concerns regarding potential strain on the immune system from multiple immunizations are largely unfounded; common illnesses like colds or the flu exert greater pressure on a child's immune system compared to vaccinations

13 Pediatrics Critical Care and Emergency Medicine: In cases where your child's health is in jeopardy due to illness or injury, reaching out to a hospital-based pediatric critical care specialist can ensure the specialized treatment necessary for their condition. Pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) provide vigilant monitoring for critically ill children. Pediatric critical care plays a pivotal role in global health efforts aimed at reducing morbidity and mortality rates. However, in many hospitals within low and middle-income countries (LMICs), pediatric critical care is still in its nascent stages. These facilities often lack dedicated intensive care units, adequately trained healthcare staff, sufficient staffing levels, and prompt access to essential medications, supplies, and equipment. Critical pediatric illnesses can significantly impact a child's health, development, and family dynamics. Clinical priorities have shifted from mere survival to identifying and mitigating post-ICU complications. "Maximizing long-term (health-related) quality of life may represent the most essential goal of medicine in general, and of intensive care in particular," as noted by leading outcome specialists.

14 General and Clinical Pediatrics: Pediatrics encompasses the medical discipline dedicated to the health and well-being of infants, children, and adolescents from birth up to eighteen years old. The term "pediatrics" originates from the Greek words "pais" meaning child and "iatros" signifying doctor or healer. Emerging in the mid-nineteenth century, pediatrics is a relatively recent medical specialization. A pediatrician is a healthcare professional specializing in providing medical care to children, both in acute and chronic conditions, as well as preventive health services for those in good health. Responsible for the physical, mental, and emotional welfare of their young patients, pediatricians play a crucial role in safeguarding children's health throughout their developmental stages. General Pediatrics manages inpatient care for those requiring acute treatment and delivers primary care services to outpatient populations through its Primary Care division. As a medical specialty, pediatrics focuses on the comprehensive care of newborns, children, and adolescents.

15 Pediatric Endocrinology: Hormones play a vital role in the growth and development of children, with the endocrine system often underpinning issues related to growth, puberty, and sexual development. Specific hormones originating in the child's brain regulate growth, puberty, and metabolic functions, including food breakdown and energy utilization. These hormones are released into the bloodstream by the endocrine glands. Imbalances or malfunctioning of these glands can lead to serious health complications such as diabetes. Endocrinology focuses on studying these glands and hormones. A pediatric endocrinologist specializes in treating children with hormone or glandular disorders, encountering challenges distinct from those faced by adult endocrinologists. Hormonal disruptions may persist throughout a lifetime, and pediatric endocrinologists are trained to address these issues in children of all ages, from infancy through adolescence.

16 Pediatric Intensive Care: A Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (commonly referred to as PICU) is a specialized section within a hospital dedicated to providing care for critically ill infants, children, adolescents, and young adults aged from 0 to 21 years old. Typically overseen by pediatric intensivists or PICU consultants, these units are staffed by healthcare professionals including doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists who possess additional training and expertise in pediatric critical care. Additionally, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physiotherapists, social workers, child life specialists, and clerks may also contribute to the multidisciplinary team, although their presence may vary depending on geographical location. Given the severity of conditions and potential for life-threatening complications, the ratio of staff to patients in the PICU is often higher compared to other hospital departments. Sophisticated technologies and equipment, such as mechanical ventilators and advanced patient monitoring systems, are frequently utilized to manage complex medical needs

17 Pediatric Neurology and Neurological Disorders: Pediatric neurology specializes in diagnosing and treating neurological disorders affecting newborns, infants, children, and adolescents. It encompasses the study of conditions affecting the spinal cord, brain, peripheral nervous system (PNS), autonomic nervous system (ANS), muscles, and blood vessels in this age group. Pediatric neurologists possess unique skills and expertise to evaluate, diagnose, and manage neurological abnormalities in children. They address a broad spectrum of conditions, ranging from common ailments like migraines or cerebral palsy to more complex and rare disorders such as metabolic diseases or neurodegenerative conditions. Pediatric neurosurgery offers advanced surgical interventions utilizing state-of-the-art technology, supported by ongoing research and the latest scientific knowledge. Many neurological disorders in children are congenital, originating as birth abnormalities or prenatal conditions, while others may manifest later in childhood. Various factors can contribute to neurological abnormalities in infants, each carrying significant implications for both the child and their family

18 Pediatric Surgery: Doctors specializing in the treatment of children are referred to as pediatric surgeons. They are trained to perform surgical procedures on infants, children, and teenagers, following one of the most demanding and time-intensive paths in medicine. When a child requires surgery, they receive care from some of the most highly trained and specialized surgeons available. Pediatric surgeons excel in creating a comfortable environment for children and effectively communicating with them. In addition to performing surgeries, they play a crucial role in diagnosing disorders and providing post-operative care to children. The impact of saving a child's life extends far beyond the immediate moment, potentially adding decades to their lifespan. The greatest reward for pediatric surgeons is the joy reflected in the smiles of the children they treat. Over the past decade, pediatric surgery has advanced significantly

19 Pediatric Urology and Nephrology: Pediatric urology is a specialized field of surgery focusing on disorders of the genitourinary system in children. A pediatric urologist is a medical professional dedicated to treating urinary or genital issues in children, both boys and girls, from infancy to early adulthood. Common concerns addressed by pediatric urologists include urinary tract disorders, reproductive organ abnormalities, and testicular disorders. Similarly, pediatric nephrology specializes in managing kidney and urinary tract conditions, kidney stones, and hypertension in children from infancy through late adolescence, and occasionally into young adulthood. Nephrologists are physicians trained in internal medicine or pediatrics, with additional expertise in diagnosing and treating kidney-related ailments

20 Pediatric Respiratory Diseases and Disorders: The escalating occurrence and severity of acute and chronic respiratory ailments are emerging as a pressing global public health concern. This trend is attributed to various factors, including the increasing prevalence of early allergen sensitization in children, recurrent viral infections commonly found in pediatric populations, and improved survival rates among extremely premature infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. These factors heighten the risk of acute respiratory symptoms progressing to chronic conditions. Moreover, lung function naturally declines over time, predisposing individuals to the onset of chronic respiratory disorders in adulthood. Approximately 25% of pediatric medical consultations revolve around respiratory illnesses, with asthma constituting 10% of these cases. Other prevalent pediatric respiratory conditions include bronchitis, acute bronchitis, and respiratory infections