Jakarta, IO – Digestive health is essential for optimal growth and development of a child, particularly in the first 1,000 days of life (HPK). Health professionals note that the digestive tract plays a crucial role beyond digestion and nutrient absorption. It is also closely associated with the child’s immune system development. The tract contains roughly 100 trillion microbiota that can affect digestive function, immune strength, and other vital bodily functions. Therefore, it is important to maintain the balance of intestinal microbiota to support a child’s healthy growth and development.
In a media discussion themed ‘Global Advances and Insight on Biotics for Child Health’ on Thursday (6/8/2026), Prof. Yvan Vandenplas, MD, Ph.D., Gastroenterology and Child Nutrition Expert of the University Hospital Brussels (UZ Brussel), Belgium explained, “The early years are a crucial period for the formation of the gut microbiota. Research suggests that biotics, such as prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics, can promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the digestive system, which is part of the body’s natural ecosystem. Health experts agree that the digestive tract is the most important and rapidly developing organ in early life, which is essential for a child’s optimal growth and holistic health. It also serves as the primary foundation for a child’s intelligence and immune system. This is why parents should focus on maintaining the health of their child’s digestive system.”
One important nutrient for optimizing and maintaining digestive system health is prebiotics. Prebiotics act as the main food source for hundreds of trillions of microbes in the digestive tract from early life and help maintain the balance of beneficial bacteria in the intestine. Therefore, a child should receive adequate prebiotic intake, which is typically rich in fiber-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and some root vegetables like tubers, or other sources, such as a growth formula fortified with the right prebiotic ratio. A fiber-rich prebiotic diet will keep the child’s digestive system healthy and help prevent disorders.
In addition to prebiotics, synbiotics are also crucial for a child’s digestive health. “A synbiotic is a combination of prebiotics (fiber) and probiotics (beneficial bacteria) that can support a child’s digestive health. Various studies indicate that synbiotics help maintain a balanced microbiota inside the gut. With a balanced microbiota, a child’s digestion will be healthier, and their immune system will develop better. This benefit is especially relevant for certain groups of children, including those born via cesarean section. Some studies show that cesarean-born children have a different composition of microbiota in their gut compared to those born naturally. This increases the risk of dysbiosis that can affect digestion and immune development. Dysbiosis can raise the risk of allergic health issues, like asthma, and lower immune defenses (such as infections and inflammatory diseases). Therefore, it’s important to preserve the balance of microbiota to support optimal growth and development,” Prof. Yvan said.
Read More: Kemenkes Strengthens Follow-Ups For Free Health Checkups As Participant Count Surpasses 73.8 Million
Dr. dr. Ray Wagiu Basrowi, MKK., Medical & Scientific Affairs Director of Danone Indonesia said, ”Understanding the importance of digestive health to support optimal growth and development, Danone, through Nutricia Research, with more than 100 years of experience in infant growth and development nutrition, continues to innovate by developing products with clinically tested prebiotics. One of the innovations is the FOS:GOS nutrition at a 1:9 ratio, which is clinically tested internationally to support children’s gut health. Having the world’s most extensively tested prebiotic innovations worldwide, with more than 40 studies and 90 international publications in over 10 countries across Asia and Europe, Danone is at the forefront of premier nutritional innovations to support children’s digestive health. Danone also develops a synbiotic combining FOS:GOS 1:9 with Bifidobacterium breve M16-V (B.breve M16-V) that has been clinically tested in helping to restore the beneficial bacteria 27 times faster in cesarean-born children. These good bacteria are a key foundation for immune system development in children.”
Acknowledging the importance of child healthcare treatments in Indonesia, Danone maintains continuous collaboration with maternal and child health professionals to share information, actively discuss experiences and insights from global researchers concerning children’s health issues. This collaboration includes sharing the latest studies and jointly supporting the development of innovative nutritional solutions through scientific knowledge and technology.
“Going forward, Danone will keep on strengthening its commitment to support children’s health by leveraging scientific studies, including the global initiative research on microbiota and biotic to generate scientific evidence and collaborate with maternal and child health professionals and the scientific community to implement the findings into practical solutions in nutrition. We also seek to foster sustainable product innovations to help meet children’s nutritional needs, including those that support digestive health,” said Vera Saw, Healthcare Nutrition Director of Danone SN Indonesia, as she concluded the discussion. (est)
