In Vietnam, digestive issues are among the main concerns about children's health, causing stress for parents. In order to relieve tummy discomfort, a proper nutrient solution is highly recommended by pediatric experts.

In the interview below, Dr. Yen Ling Low, director at Abbott’s Nutrition R&D Center, Asia Pacific, gave insights on the science Abbott uses to manage digestive issues and support immunity development of children.

Abbott has recently launched Similac Total Comfort laced with the immune-nourishing human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) in Vietnam. What are the benefits that this formula brings to children's digestion as well as their overall health?

The inspiration for us to develop Similac Total Comfort is the concern of most mothers, not only in Vietnam but in many countries all over the world, where we have seen children’s gastrointestinal issues.

The outstanding feature of Similac Total Comfort is Abbott’s innovation - TummiCare which is designed to make it easy to digest to the immature gut of children. In this formula, we basically use the partially hydrolyzed whey protein. We break down the protein into smaller cubes, so that it’s easier to digest to children’s gut.

Besides, we use the palm olein free (POF) fat blend because we want to reduce the risk of constipation while significantly improving nutrient absorption. And the last thing we use is 98 percent lactose free or only two percent of lactose in order to prevent lactose intolerance in children whose symptoms moms can observe such as gases or diarrhea.

If a child does not feel well, it causes the whole family to be stressed. We need a solution that gives a fast relief because we can’t tell the mother to wait for one week or two weeks for her baby to improve. Studies show that 64 percent of children experience relief in one day and sustain the reduction in fussiness over 28 days after switching to Similac Total Comfort. 

The formula is clinical proven fast relief of digestive issues, now the fortification of HMO will support babies’ gut health and boost the immune system to reduce risks of allergy and infection. This is the next cutting-edge science innovation to provide the superior nutrition that supports comprehensive development of children worldwide.

Similac Total Comfort with TummiCare is already great for children’s digestion. What is your expectation to fortify the formula with HMO?

Imbalance of immune response may trigger allergic reaction. So developing a formula which is easy to digest is not enough, we have to add nutrients to strengthen children’s gut health and boost their immunity.

This time, we introduce the new formula Similac Total Comfort with a dual immune blend including HMO and nucleotides. So the unique combination of an easy-to-digest TummiCare system plus a dual immune blend will bring all-round tummy care and nurture immunity for children.

Could you provide further explanations about the formula? What is the significance of Similac Total Comfort with the fortification of HMO and nucleotides? 

Global scientists have proved that HMO improves gut health and immunity with three main benefits. First of all, HMO promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut where 70 percent of the immune system exists. Moreover, they prevent adherence of pathogens and finally regulate the immune cells to release protective factors. Recent researches show HMO is associated with the reduction of respiratory infections.

Besides HMO, we also added nucleotides to the Similac Total Comfort formula since they are important building blocks for protein synthesis and cell growth in children, as well as enhancing their immunity.

Nucleotide supplementation has been clinically shown to reduce diarrhea in children. So the dual immune blend of HMO and nucleotides helps to provide all-round immunity for children.

Parents always want their children to thrive and be smarter. What nutrients are there in Similac Total Comfort that can fulfill those expectations and support children's brain development?

The first 1,000 days of life is the golden window of children’s thriving and we encourage parents to supply them with essential nutrients for brain development such as DHA, lutein and natural vitamin E.

Lutein, which is concentrated in the eyes and brain, is very important for learning and memorizing. Besides, natural vitamin E is a very powerful antioxidant and it will protect DHA from oxidation.

The blend of these nutrients is added to Similac Total Comfort to develop children’s brain and cognition to learn quicker at school.

What are the focuses of Abbott regarding nutrition for baby development in Vietnam?

Abbott has been constantly made efforts for nearly 100 years to be at the forefront in bringing breakthrough pediatric nutrition to moms and babies. The journey has been empowered by the commitment to create science-based products that help children to grow healthier and learn better since early stages.

Vietnam has a young population and Vietnamese children need superior nutrition sources which can provide comprehensive development for their digestion, immunity, brain and eyes.

Therefore, we are focusing on introducing to the market the latest science innovation in the pediatric industry such as Similac HMO, Similac Total Comfort with HMO, and others. These products allow local children to benefit from global researches and breakthrough application of nutrients such as HMO, partially hydrolyzed protein, DHA, lutein, natural vitamin E, and others to support strong digestion, immunity and brain development.

As part of our journey to realize this commitment, Abbott has implemented many activities which focus on improving healthcare for Vietnamese people, especial moms and babies such as cooperating with the Ministry of Health to combat Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) in Vietnam. Improvement in the healthcare of local communities is our main focus, so we will develop more superior nutrition sources to promote children’s growth and comprehensive thriving.

Thank you for your sharing and we hope to hear of more innovations from Abbott in the upcoming time!