Nutritional Interventions and the Gut Microbiome in Children. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • The gut microbiome plays an integral role in health and disease, and diet is a major driver of its composition, diversity, and functional capacity. Given the dynamic development of the gut microbiome in infants and children, it is critical to address two major questions: (a) Can diet modify the composition, diversity, or function of the gut microbiome, and (b) will such modification affect functional/clinical outcomes including immune function, cognitive development, and overall health? We synthesize the evidence on the effect of nutritional interventions on the gut microbiome in infants and children across 26 studies. Findings indicate the need to study older children, assess the whole intestinal tract, and harmonize methods and interpretation of findings, which are critical for informing meaningful clinical and public health practice. These findings are relevant for precision health, may help identify windows of opportunity for intervention, and may inform the design and delivery of such interventions.

publication date

  • July 20, 2021

Research

keywords

  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 85117237421

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1146/annurev-nutr-021020-025755

PubMed ID

  • 34283919

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 41