Malnutrition has been one of the biggest problem globally especially on children and there have been a lot of studies done by dedicated health organizations to reverse this. There are solutions made to answer this big global problem but still there are millions of children are starving and suffering from malnutrition.
There is a new study about the gut microbiome that could possibly influence obesity. It has been reportedly said that if there is a correct combination of gut microbes, it may balance the health growth of the body even if it lacks nutrients needed.
An infectious disease expert at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, William Petri Jr. had an idea that gut microbes may probably influence a person's response to hunger according to Science Mag. He thinks that the bacteria in the gut works as one like an organ in a body where development begins at child's birth. If the gut microbiome have problems in the development, this may link to malnutrition.
Petri, along with other researchers have collected some fecal samples coming from malnourished and healthy children under the age of 2 in Bangladesh. After the samples have been examined and studied, they concluded that the microbial community in their gut changes as they age.
In the group of those malnourished children included in the sampling for the study, the researchers found out that the gut bacteria are underdeveloped more likely of a very young child. This could mean that gut microbiome has an influence or it plays a big role in the development of children.
Microbiologist Jeffrey Gordon at Washington University in St. Louis in Missouri have same findings in their separate study in Malawi amongst infants. They found out that the gut microbiome has an influence in child's growth as posted in The Washington Post.
They have performed the study including mice samples that are free from germs. There are mice implanted with gut microbes from healthy children and some from malnourished children. The mice samples were fed with the usual food that are consumed by Malawian children.
The results have shown good development in muscles and structure in those mice implanted with gut microbes coming from healthy children compared to those mice implanted with gut microbes coming from unhealthy children.
The study performed on mice may not show the same results in humans according to David A. Relman, a microbiologist from Stanford University School of Medicine. Mice samples have altered anatomy that may not mimic the system of children born in the natural environment that are exposed in complex settings.
Posted in Trooclick, Gordon has his own opinion in the study and said, "Even though our intentions are good, we want to make sure we do no harm." He added, "This is just the beginning of a long journey, an effort to understand how healthy growth is related to normal development of the gut microbiota."
