The launching of ASCENDA took place within the framework of a scientific presentation given by Nestlé Central America's child nutrition specialist, Vanessa Hernández Rosiles, in a conversation directed to the salvadoran pediatricians' guild.

Nutrition in children is the basis for healthy growth, even plays an important role in the formation and function of their organs, immune system, neurological and cognitive development, and overall physical health.

"During the growth stage, nutritional needs increase to provide 'building blocks' for tissues. 90% of brain development occurs before 5 years of age, the remaining 10% after that age. For this reason, for a child to have optimal growth and development, the inclusion of proteins, lipids and micronutrients in their diet is necessary, and sometimes, the support of a nutritional supplement, ideally free of table sugar, is also necessary", highlighted the specialist in children's nutrition.

However, getting our children to eat properly in stages when they start to be selective with food, rejecting key foods such as fruits and vegetables, is one of the main challenges for mothers, fathers and their caregivers. Germán López, Director of Nutrition for Nestlé Central America, commented "At Nestlé we are committed to the health and nutrition of salvadoran families. The new ASCENDA proposal as a pediatric supplement specially designed to address the specific nutritional needs of children with feeding difficulties, is a response to this need, offering a high-quality product that contributes to the compensatory growth, promotes immunity and mental development of the little ones".

ASCENDA helps to supplement nutrition in children who, for some reason, have presented weight loss and growth problems, whether they have selective taste or insufficient food intake. Among the nutrients present in the ASCENDA formula are:

• Calcium, iron, vitamins A and D that support muscle, bone and immune system growth and function.
• Zinc that contributes to cell growth and metabolism.
• High quality whey protein enriched with alpha-lactalbumin, which allows for easier digestion and absorption.
• Essential amino acids to contribute to growth.
• High contribution of DHA, a fatty acid that contributes to visual and brain development.
• The only option in the market with Sphingomyelin, an important phospholipid that is part of the brain structure.

In addition, it contains no added sucrose or added table sugar to help create healthy eating habits. ASCENDA supplement is recommended for children from 2 years of age, with growth patterns below their age range with insufficient dietary intake, diagnosed with malnutrition or whose food intake has decreased due to illness or decreased appetite.

With this new launch, Nestlé reaffirms its commitment to research and development of products with the highest quality standards and high nutritional value, which, together with a balanced and healthy diet, accompany mothers and fathers in the different stages of their children's growth.

For more information on Nestlé's nutritional products, the company offers the following digital platforms as support tools for parents.

Translated by: A.M