UWS hosts conference on nutrition and nurture in infancy

The School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Western Sydney in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Central Lancashire in the UK, is hosting an international conference which will explore the social, cultural, biological and relational influences on maternal and child nutrition and infant feeding.

For almost a decade the UWS researchers have been working with colleagues from the Maternal and Infant Nutrition and Nurture unit at the University of Central Lancashire. The upcoming conference, the 5^th International Conference on Nutrition and Nurture in Infancy and Childhood, takes place in Parramatta from November 5 – 7.

There is a growing understanding of the complex interaction between socio-cultural, biological, political and economic influences on infant and child feeding, eating and nutrition. Keynote speakers and presenters at the conference from Australia, the UK, Canada and the US, will cover such topics as the impact of contemporary public health messages including those related maternal nutrition in pregnancy and childhood obesity; the place of culture and relationships in maternal/infant nutrition and feeding practices and how public spaces, in the community and in maternity and neonatal units, enhance closeness and create caring communities. They will also explore innovations in global, national and local strategies related to maternal and child nutrition including new models of peer support for breast feeding.

"What we hope to do is challenge current thinking in the health professions about infant feeding decisions and to examine how we can best support women to breastfeed and help families make healthy eating decisions," says Dr Virginia Schmied, Professor of Maternal, Infant and Family Health at UWS, the conference convenor.

Further information about the conference, topics and speakers can be found here. 

Ends

31 October 2014

Contact: Lyn Danninger, Media Officer 

Image supplied by Holly Priddis Photography