A $6.5 million grant has been awarded to a University of Manitoba researcher by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to establish a new global health initiative dedicated to breast milk: the International Milk Composition (IMiC) Consortium. The IMiC Consortium will be led by Dr. Meghan Azad, UM assistant professor in Pediatrics and Child…
The income bracket in which a Manitoba child grows up is a very strong predictor of the child’s health. In fact, unlike in adults, where other types of socioeconomic disadvantage influence the health gap, income level alone can predict 16 out of 19 types of health inequality in Manitoba children. These findings are revealed by…
A $2 million award from the Canadian Microbiome Initiative 2 (CMI2) program will allow CHILD Cohort Study researchers to examine the trillions of microorganisms living inside the human body and uncover the role they play in causing asthma. This five-year project will be co-led by Dr. Padmaja Subbarao at The Hospital for Sick Children and…
Children who do not consume peanut during their first year of life are more likely to be allergic to peanut at age three, according to new findings from the CHILD Cohort Study. Using data from over 2,600 Canadian children, researchers have found that infants who did not consume peanut in their first 12 months of…
Research tells us that breastmilk is full of nutrients that feed and protect babies, including long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids that play a pivotal role in building an infant’s nervous system and helping healthy brain and eye development. New findings from the CHILD Cohort Study – a national birth cohort study involving thousands of Canadian…
Government of Canada investing in $20-million project proposal to launch integrated market July 29, 2019 – Vancouver, British Columbia – Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion, today announced that the Government of Canada will support a $20-million project proposal to scale up companies in…
In many countries, ritual foods, such as honey and animal milk, are commonly given to newborns before they are first breastfed or early in life. These foods, called prelacteals, may undermine the benefits newborns would otherwise receive from exclusive breastfeeding. Dr. Alain Labrique of the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and Dr. Meghan Azad…
A new study conducted by Manitoba scientists aims to identify the top research priorities of families living with Hirschsprung’s Disease (HD). Researchers relied entirely on social media – in particular a Facebook group created by a Winnipeg mom – to recruit families for the study. This approach to recruitment allowed researchers to complete the study…
The idea that breastmilk has a microbiome (or microbiota)—a community of bacteria living within it—is relatively new and has sparked debate about where breastmilk bacteria come from. Some scientists believe breastmilk bacteria originate in the mother’s gut while others believe they are transferred to the mother from the infant’s mouth during breastfeeding. New research from…
Ash Kolstad was 12-years old when his head hit the boards after he was checked from behind during a hockey game resulting in a severe concussion and whiplash. The injury forced the honour student to leave school for one year and quit the sport. Nearly a decade later, he still suffers symptoms every day. “It…
Breastfeeding has many established benefits for mothers, children, and society at large; however, the vast majority of infants around the world do not meet international breastfeeding recommendations. A new study looks at how social media –specifically, Instagram – could help improve breastfeeding rates by changing perceptions and building support communities for breastfeeding moms. The study…
A new study published in JAMA Pediatrics has found that a child’s risk of developing early onset diabetes is impacted by exposure to diabetes during pregnancy, as well as by the type of diabetes they are exposed to, and whether or not they are of First Nations descent. The study, conducted by researchers from the…