KEY DISCOVERIES

ALLERGIES
ASTHMA
BREASTFEEDING & HUMAN MILK
MICROBIOME
MENTAL HEALTH /
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

NUTRITION

OBESITY

ANTIBIOTICS

GENOMICS
EXPOSOME
COVID-19

NUTRITION

OBESITY

ALLERGIES

Four major allergies may have shared bacterial origin
Children should eat peanut early
Delayed food introduction increases allergy risk
‘Triple exposure’ may protect against peanut allergy
Breastmilk may help prevent food allergies
Mom’s daily egg intake may influence allergy risk

Baby’s exposure to air pollution, pets, &
other kids influences allergy risk

Exposure to traffic pollution in pregnancy linked to risk of allergies
Furry friends & bacteria help fight obesity & allergies
Baby’s first poop helps predict allergies

Baby’s gut fungi
may influence allergies

Mom’s depression affects
baby’s immune system

Asthma & food allergies are predictable at age one
Birth method, mom’s ethnicity influences gut bacteria, allergy risk
Birth mode affects microbiome, obesity & allergy risk

Babies exposed to antibiotics
are more likely to get eczema

Breastmilk antibodies help baby’s immune system, reducing allergy risk
Breastfeeding may reduce socioeconomic-based differences in children’s health
ASTHMA
Four gut bacteria help protect kids from asthma
Four major allergies may have shared bacterial origin
‘Direct’ breastfeeding may protect against asthma
Lower use of antibiotics improves gut health, lowers asthma risk
Yeast in babies’ gut increases asthma risk
Cleaning product exposure may increase asthma risk
Asthma & food allergies
are predictable at age one
Phthalates in house dust
associated with asthma risk
Breastfeeding may protect
against wheezing & asthma
Lung Clearance Index
detects lung problems early
New tool allows primary caregivers
to predict asthma risk early
Breastfeeding can offset asthma risk caused by a baby’s exposure to antibiotics
Most young kids with wheeze are non-allergic & undertreated
Mom’s genes influence health-boosting sugars in human milk
Breastfeeding may reduce socioeconomic-based differences in children’s health

OBESITY

Consumption of ultra-processed foods when very young may increase obesity risk
Dad’s weight before baby’s birth may influence that child’s obesity risk
Drinking whole cow’s milk in early childhood may be linked to lower obesity risk later
Furry friends & bacteria
help fight obesity & allergies
Pregnant mom’s intake of artificial
sweeteners may increase obesity risk
Household cleaners alter gut microbes,
increase obesity risk
Breastfeeding may
protect against obesity
Birth mode affects microbiome,
obesity & allergy risk
Babies’ gut bacteria
may influence obesity risk
Smoking while pregnant linked to changes in baby’s microbiome, increased risk of obesity​
Excess screen time, short sleep linked to obesity in preschool kids
Breastfeeding may reduce socioeconomic-based differences in children’s health

MICROBIOME

“Microbiome” refers to a community of microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses) that inhabit a particular environment, especially the collection of microorganisms living in or on the human body.

Watch the award-winning video summarizing some of CHILD’s microbiome findings

Four major allergies
may have shared bacterial origin
Four gut bacteria help
protect kids from asthma
Baby’s first poop
helps predict allergies
Yeast in babies’ gut
increases asthma risk
Birth mode affects microbiome,
obesity & allergy risk
Antibiotics in childbirth affect
microbiota; breastfeeding mitigates
Birth method, mom’s ethnicity
influences gut bacteria, allergy risk
Lower use of antibiotics
improves gut health, lowers asthma risk
Vitamin D supplementation
influences a baby’s gut microbiome
Proximity to green space
benefits baby’s gut bacteria
Exclusive breastfeeding reduces
C. difficile presence in baby’s gut

‘Good’ bacteria
is shared through breastmilk

Breastmilk bacteria is
different when pumped
Baby’s gut fungi
may influence allergies
Furry friends & bacteria
help fight obesity & allergies
Household cleaners alter gut microbes,
increase obesity risk
Gut bacteria are
important for neurodevelopment
Babies’ gut bacteria
may influence obesity risk
Breastfeeding can offset asthma risk caused by a baby’s exposure to antibiotics
CHILD poop enables new microbiome tool​
Babies exposed to antibiotics are more likely to get eczema
Smoking while pregnant linked to changes in baby’s microbiome, increased risk of obesity​
Breastmilk antibodies help baby’s immune system, reducing allergy risk
Breastfeeding may reduce socioeconomic-based differences in children’s health
Mom’s stress in pregnancy may influence child’s gut microbiome, later mental health ​
Breastmilk antibodies help baby’s immune system, reducing allergy risk
Breastfeeding may reduce socioeconomic-based differences in children’s health

BREASTFEEDING & HUMAN  MILK

Watch the award-winning video summarizing some of CHILD’s breastfeeding findings

‘Direct’ breastfeeding may
protect against asthma
Breastmilk may help prevent
food allergies
Breastfeeding may
protect against obesity
Exclusive breastfeeding reduces
C. difficile presence in baby’s gut
‘Triple exposure’ may protect
against peanut allergy
Breastfeeding may protect
against wheezing & asthma
Breastmilk bacteria is
different when pumped

‘Good’ bacteria
is shared through breastmilk

Fats in breastmilk
are unique to each mother
Breastfed newborns have
lower blood pressure at age 3
Antibiotics in childbirth affect
microbiota; breastfeeding mitigates
Breastfeeding can offset asthma risk caused by a baby’s exposure to antibiotics
Mom’s genes influence health-boosting sugars in human milk
Fatty acids & sugars in breastmilk are related to infant neurodevelopment
Breastfeeding may reduce socioeconomic-based differences in children’s health
Breastmilk antibodies help baby’s immune system, reducing allergy risk

MENTAL HEALTH & COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

More fruit
boosts baby’s brain
Sleep influences a baby’s
cognitive & language skills
Screen time linked
to behavioural problems
Mom’s depression affects
baby’s immune system
Following Movement Guidelines
reduces behavioural problems
Maternal depression higher
among certain ethnic minorities
Household chemicals may affect
mom’s mental health
Gut bacteria are
important for neurodevelopment
Fatty acids & sugars in breastmilk are related to infant neurodevelopment
Breastfeeding may reduce socioeconomic-based differences in children’s health
Mom’s stress in pregnancy may influence child’s gut microbiome, later mental health ​
NUTRITION

See also: Breastfeeding & Human Milk

Consumption of ultra-processed foods when very young may increase obesity risk
Drinking whole cow’s milk in early childhood may be linked to lower obesity risk later
More fruit
boosts baby’s brain
Mom’s daily egg intake
may influence allergy risk
Children should eat peanut early
Delayed food introduction increases allergy risk
Pregnant mom’s intake of artificial
sweeteners may increase obesity risk
‘Triple exposure’ may protect against peanut allergy
Vitamin D supplementation
influences a baby’s gut microbiome
ANTIBIOTICS
Lower use of antibiotics
improves gut health, lowers asthma risk
Canadian newborns are routinely exposed to antibiotics

Babies exposed to antibiotics
are more likely to get eczema

Antibiotics in childbirth affect
microbiota; breastfeeding mitigates
Breastfeeding can offset asthma risk caused by a baby’s exposure to antibiotics

GENOMICS

Mom’s genes influence health-boosting sugars in human milk

EXPOSOME

“Exposome” refers to all the exposures of an individual in a lifetime and how those exposures relate to health. An individual’s exposure begins before birth and includes exposures to the indoor and outdoor environment; exposures related to diet and lifestyle; etc.

See also: Breastfeeding & Human Milk, Nutrition and Antibiotics

Tracking environmental exposures sheds light on health outcomes
Second- and third-hand smoke exposure pervasive among Canadian infants
Birth mode affects microbiome,
obesity & allergy risk
Furry friends & bacteria
help fight obesity & allergies
Proximity to green space
benefits baby’s gut bacteria
Cleaning product exposure
may increase asthma risk

Baby’s exposure to air pollution, pets, &
other kids influences allergy risk

Household cleaners alter gut microbes,
increase obesity risk
Exposure to traffic pollution in pregnancy
linked to risk of allergies
Mom’s depression affects
baby’s immune system
Phthalates in house dust
associated with asthma risk
Smoking while pregnant linked to changes in baby’s microbiome, increased risk of obesity​
Screen time linked
to behavioural problems
Excess screen time, short sleep linked to obesity in preschool kids
Household chemicals may affect
mom’s mental health