Safeguarding Healthy Early-Life Development: The Fourth Symposium on Maternal and Infant Nutrition and Physical &Mental Health (2025) Held

With the ongoing advancement of the Healthy China 2030 initiative, maternal and infant health—a vital cornerstone of population wellbeing—has attracted increasing attention from both the state and society. In recent years, China’s maternal and infant healthcare service system has continued to improve, alongside the introduction of major policies such as national childcare subsidies. According to data released by the National Health Commission, China’s core health indicators—including the infant mortality rate and under-five mortality rate—fell to historic lows in 2024. However, even as these indicators have improved significantly, societal expectations regarding scientific feeding, refined nutritional management, immune protection, and cognitive development continue to rise. Combined with the rapid integration of artificial intelligence technologies into daily life, the maternal and infant sector is undergoing a new wave of transformation and upgrading.

On 27 September, the Fourth Symposium on Maternal and Infant Nutrition and Physical & Mental Health (2025), hosted by the Maternal and Infant Nutrition Specialised Committee of the CNHFA, was successfully convened in Shanghai. Centred on the theme “Active Nutrition: Safeguarding New Beginnings,” the symposium brought together more than 20 leading experts from China and abroad in obstetrics and gynaecology, nutrition, paediatrics, immunology, and psychophysical health. Participants explored the critical role of early-life nutrition—particularly active nutrition—in maternal and infant health and immune development. The event received strong support from Friso Psychophysical Health Science Online.

Wang Zhixu, Professor and Chair of the Maternal and Infant Nutrition Specialised Committee of the CNHFA; Li Liangqiu, Executive Vice President of the CNHFA; Professor Duan Tao, Honorary Chair of the Perinatal Medicine Branch of the Chinese Medical Association; and Ms Xue Jie, representative of Friso’s Psychophysical Health Science Online, were among the distinguished guests attending the conference. Nearly 7,200 participants viewed the live-streamed event online.

Active Nutrition Safeguarding the Healthy Growth of Infants and Young Children

As conference chair, Professor Wang Zhixu emphasised in his address that maternal and infant health forms the foundation of health across the entire life course, with profound implications for societal harmony and the nation’s future. He particularly highlighted that the first 1,000 days of life constitute an irreversible critical window for immune system development and chronic disease prevention. This period not only directly affects the maturation of infants’ and young children’s immune systems, but also has far-reaching consequences for health in adulthood, making it the core stage for “safeguarding health from the very beginning.” Professor Wang called on the sector to work together to advance the high-quality development of maternal and infant health in China.

In her address, Executive Vice President Li Liangqiu noted that in recent years, through the concerted efforts of government, the CNHFA and enterprises, China’s maternal and infant nutrition sector has achieved significant progress. Nevertheless, challenges remain, including insufficient immunity in some children and unscientific feeding practices. She expressed the hope that industry, academia and research institutions will further deepen collaboration, enhance the dissemination of scientific feeding knowledge, and strengthen the research, development and supply of nutrition and health foods. The CNHFA will continue to play a leading role in the industry by advancing standard refinement and technological innovation, and will place particular emphasis on supporting scientific breakthroughs in critical areas such as early-life nutritional interventions, thereby contributing more substantially to the cause of maternal and infant health.

Professor Duan Tao noted that health in early life results from the synergistic interplay of nutrition, immunity, and psychological factors. He emphasised that maternal nutrition and psychological wellbeing during pregnancy form the cornerstone of immune health, and that a balanced diet and positive mental state help reduce pregnancy risks. Breast milk, as the most ideal nutritional source for infants and young children, not only provides comprehensive nutrition but also supports the establishment of healthy gut microbiota and immune systems through active components such as immunoglobulins and lactoferrin. He called for continued exploration of the potential of immune-active nutrition, and for advancing more high-quality research to benefit the broader maternal and infant population.

Ms Xue Jie stated that, against the backdrop of the nation’s proactive promotion of childbirth-friendly policies, society as a whole is striving to create a higher-quality environment for children’s development. As an international dairy company with 154 years of history, the Friso brand under FrieslandCampina has consistently focused on early-life nutrition research and continues to undertake a range of scientific and health initiatives, including a public-welfare programme on gestational diabetes, dedicated to providing more comprehensive scientific nutrition and human-centred care for mothers and infants.

How Do Active Nutrients Build Strong Immunity in Infants and Young Children? Leading Experts Share the Latest Findings

Active nutrition plays an irreplaceable role in building the immune barrier of infants and young children, supporting their growth and development, and fostering cognitive advancement. The conference specially invited distinguished experts including Professor Zhou Peng of Jiangnan University; Professor Feng Yi of Xinhua Hospital; Professor Chen Tongxin of Shanghai Children’s Medical Centre; Professor Liang Di of the School of Public Health, Fudan University; and Dr Anouk L. Feitsma from Friso Psychophysical Health Science Online Platform. Together, they engaged in in-depth exchanges and shared insights on cutting-edge research and practical applications of active nutrition.

Pooling Wisdom and Strength to Jointly Shape a New Future for Maternal and Infant Health

During the roundtable discussion, participating experts engaged in in-depth exchanges on several key topics.

Under the theme of “Maternal Health Across the Life Course,” experts unanimously agreed that nutrition during pregnancy is not merely a source of energy, but also a critical foundation for immune support, and that there exists a significant bidirectional relationship between nutrition and psychological wellbeing.

Within the theme of “Infants’ Physical and Mental Health,” experts emphasised that the role of active nutrients in the development of infants’ and young children’s immune systems is becoming increasingly prominent. Enhanced lactoferrin, immunoglobulins, human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and other bioactive components not only help strengthen immune function but also exert positive effects on psychological, behavioural, and cognitive development. When combined with AI-enabled digital tools, the scientific rigour and precision of children’s health management can be further improved.

Professor Wang Zhixu, Chair of the conference, noted in his concluding remarks that this symposium, centred on the theme “Active Nutrition: Safeguarding New Beginnings,” brought together multidisciplinary expertise and the combined strengths of industry, academia and research, providing new scientific evidence and practical insights for maternal and infant nutrition and psychophysical health.

Additionally, the conference unveiled the “Digital Intelligence AI Tool for Infant and Child Immune Health,” jointly developed by Fudan University and Friso. This integrated tool combines screening and assessment, personalised reporting, guidance and recommendations, and educational content. It provides intelligent reminders and feedback at key developmental milestones, enabling parents to scientifically assess their child’s health status, acquire professional parenting knowledge, reduce illness risk, address feeding challenges, and promote the holistic healthy development of the next generation.

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