New York, Feb. 6 -- The "first 1,000 days" is a critical period for nutritional development that begins during pregnancy and continues through a child's second birthday.

This window of nutritional developmentcan shape the course of a child's entire life.From brain development and immune strength to physical growth and future earning potential, nutrition in the first1,000 daysis critical for influencing a child's capacity to thrive.Whenthe windowis missed, the damage can be lifelong. When it is protected, the impact can last generations.

A mother and baby in the play area of a stabilization center.

During the first 1,000 days, the human body and brain develop faster than at any other time in life. By age two, a child's brain has reached...