Nationwide search underscores FRISO’s continued efforts in advocating good gut health in young children
28 May 2021, Singapore – FRISO today announced its nationwide search for ‘Chief Poop Officers’ in every household across the island as part of its efforts to advocate good digestive health and nutrient absorption in young children. Launched to coincide with World Digestive Health Day (29 May), FRISO’s search for Singapore’s Chief Poop Officers recognises that parents play a pivotal role in helping their children achieve good digestive health and nutrient absorption, and kicks off with a contest open to all Singapore families on FRISO’s social media channels.
FRISO aims to empower Singaporean parents to be proactive in managing their children’s gut health by driving daily conversations about digestion through the social media search which will be launched on World Digestive Health Day. Parents are encouraged to join the good gut health movement by identifying the Chief Poop Officers of their respective households, sharing their first-hand experiences with their child’s digestion and poop – such as how they teach their children healthy digestive habits, or even humorous anecdotes related to their child’s potty behaviour.
A healthy digestive system can help young children absorb the nutrients they need for optimal development and growth. The link between good digestion and nutrient absorption may be often overlooked, but studies indicate that good digestion is necessary to break down food into nutrients and for the absorption of protein1, which helps in tissue building and growth. “As poop is the most visible indicator of children’s digestive health, FRISO’s search for Singapore’s Chief Poop Officers urges parents to pay attention to their children’s poop, and understand how the appearance of poop can indicate whether their children’s diet is impacting their gut health.” said David Naidu, General Manager at FrieslandCampina Singapore.
Starting on 29 May – World Digestive Health Day, parents can participate in the FRISO Chief Poop Officer Social Media Contest* through FRISO’s Facebook or Instagram channels. The winners of the social media contest will receive FRISO Good Poop Officer kits valued at more than SGD600 which includes the Asian Microbiome Library’s flagship Bio+ME gut microbiome test to educate parents on the importance of good gut health in children. The Bio+ME gut microbiome test for mother and child provides parents with personalised nutrition and lifestyle recommendations for better gut health for their children and themselves.
“Parents play a key role in helping their children achieve good nutrient absorption through a healthy gut, which is instrumental for developing healthy, happy kids. However, information about the digestive and nutrient absorption process can be hard for parents to digest. Through our campaign, we hope to encourage parents to take charge of their children’s digestive health with expert insights into digestion and nutrition, and shared experiences from other parents,” said David Naidu, General Manager at FrieslandCampina Singapore. “We’re also delighted to partner a like-minded leading advocate for good poop – Southeast Asia’s first precision gut microbiome company – AMILI on the FRISO Good Poop Advisory Panel to drive conversations around the importance of good poop and good gut health amongst parents.”
FRISO Good Poop Advisory Panel Continues Advocating Good Digestion In Young Children
To draw attention to the importance of good gut health in young children, FRISO launched Singapore’s first-ever FRISO Good Poop Advisory Panel last year, beginning a nationwide movement to educate parents on helping their children achieve good digestion.
The panel continues this year, helmed by David Naidu, General Manager, FrieslandCampina Singapore, and with returning guest experts Dr Petrina Wong, Consultant Pediatrician (Respiratory and Sleep) and Bibi Chia, Principal Dietitian, Raffles Diabetes and Endocrine Centre – Raffles Specialist Centre. The panel also welcomes Dr David Ong, Senior Consultant Gastroenterologist and Co-Founder at AMILI as its newest member to advocate for a holistic, informed approach in managing children’s digestive health.
“AMILI and FRISO firmly agree that good gut health matters in young children. Our gut microbiome influences our digestion and many aspects of our overall health and wellness. As digestion is critical for the growth and development of young children, it is important for parents to proactively take care of their children’s gut health.” said Dr David Ong, Senior Consultant Gastroenterologist and Co-Founder at AMILI.
The FRISO Good Poop Advisory Panel will continue to shed light on the roles that good digestion and absorption play in children’s overall development – from educating parents on understanding food sources to helping them make the right lifestyle choices.
*T&Cs may apply.
Note to Editor
For the biographies of the individual guest panelists on the FRISO Good Poop Advisory Panel, please refer to Appendix 1.
About FRISO and FrieslandCampina
Produced and packed in The Netherlands, FRISO is present in over 25 countries and ranked as one of the Top 52 formula milk brands in Asia. FRISO is a brand under one of the world’s largest dairy companies, FrieslandCampina, which is also a cooperative jointly owned by over 18,000 dairy farmer members from over 12,000 dairy farms in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. Founded in 1871, FrieslandCampina has 150 years of expertise in milk and its application, allowing it to produce a wide range of quality, nutrient-rich foods including dairy-based beverages, toddler nutrition, cheese, functional dairy-based ingredients and more for consumers, businesses and industries worldwide.
Media Contact
Omnicom Public Relations Group, on behalf of FRISO in Singapore
friso.sg@omnicomprgroup.com
APPENDIX 1
David Naidu
General Manager, FrieslandCampina Singapore
Mr. David Naidu is the General Manager for FrieslandCampina Singapore. He is responsible for the overall strategy, direction and management of FrieslandCampina’s dairy nutrition business in Singapore.
Before this, David was based in Shanghai as the Director of Marketing and Strategy for FrieslandCampina China.
With extensive experience in the food and nutrition industry, he held various brand and marketing positions at Danone Dairy and Danone Early Life Nutrition in markets such as Indonesia, Shanghai, Spain and Thailand prior to joining FrieslandCampina in 2015.
Dr Petrina Wong
Consultant Paediatrician (Respiratory & Sleep), SOG – Petrina Wong Clinic for Children Respiratory and Sleep in Gleneagles Medical Centre and at SOG Clinic for Children (Mount Alvernia)
Dr Petrina Wong graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in 2003. She obtained her postgraduate qualifications with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (UK) in 2007, and went on to attain accreditation as a Specialist in Paediatric Medicine in 2012. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore.
Prior to private practice, Dr Wong held the position of Consultant in the Respiratory Service, Department of Paediatrics, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. She was Adjunct Assistant Professor in Duke- NUS Medical School and Clinical Senior Lecturer at NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine. She continues to be a Visiting Consultant to KK Hospital.
Having trained in various paediatric specialties for the last 15 years, Dr Wong has a wealth of experience when it comes to babies and children. Apart from general paediatrics which include newborn and well-baby screening, childhood immunisations, developmental assessments, nutrition and growth advice and management of common childhood conditions, Dr Wong also specialises in respiratory and sleep conditions like pneumonia, childhood wheezing, asthma, allergic rhinitis, snoring, sleep apnoea, parasomnias and behavioural sleep problems.
As a mother herself, Dr Wong can empathise with parents when their young ones fall sick. She believes that every child should be given a chance to lead a happy and healthy life. She has helped and supported many children and their families, and remains committed to serving her patients well.
Dr Wong currently operates at SOG – Petrina Wong Clinic for Children Respiratory and Sleep in Gleneagles Medical Centre and at SOG Clinic for Children (Mount Alvernia).
Bibi Chia
Principal Dietitian, Raffles Diabetes and Endocrine Centre – Raffles Specialist Centre
Ms Bibi Chia graduated in Australia with a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics, and specialises in healthy ageing, weight management and paediatric nutrition. She is an APD member of SNDA (Singapore Nutrition and Dietetics Association) and former member of World Anti-ageing Association, and Study of Obesity Association. Bibi is also a qualified Workplace Health Consultant and is certified in Intravenous Nutrition and Advanced Food Hygiene.
Bibi has developed weight management programmes for both adults and children. Since 2003, Bibi has been providing her expertise to Singapore’s government agencies and headed various healthy lifestyle projects such as the Model School Tuckshop Programme, Healthy Eating in Childcare Centre Programme, HealthZone Education Sessions, Preschool Health Grant, Healthy Bones Begins with You, and Lose to Win.
Bibi has conducted numerous health talks and seminars for the public, workplaces, families and schools. She has been featured on various TV and radio shows offering her professional advice on nutrition. She is also a regular contributor in many magazines and newspapers.
Dr David Ong
Senior Consultant Gastroenterologist and Co-Founder, Asian Microbiome Library (AMILI)
Dr David Ong is the co-founder and serves as a member of the Board of Advisors at AMILI. He holds an Adjunct Associate Professorship at the National University of Singapore (NUS), Department of Medicine and is also an advisor to and chair of the nomination committee of the International Council, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. Dr Ong has published widely in the field of Gastroenterology and delivers talks both locally and internationally and sits on the global advisory boards of various international pharmaceutical companies.
Dr Ong was the Head of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the National University Hospital (NUH), Singapore. In the area of the gut microbiome, Dr Ong was the first doctor in Singapore to perform a fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) on a patient with recurrent clostridium difficile colitis in 2014 and is now a senior consultant gastroenterologist at the Mount Elizabeth Orchard Medical Centre.
Nationally, Dr Ong serves as the incoming President of the Gastroenterological Society of Singapore (GESS) and the honorary secretary of the Chapter of Gastroenterology, Academy of Medicine. In addition, he has also served as a member of the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) Complaints Panel since 2016.
