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Malnutrition and Gut Microbiota in Children
- Source :
- Nutrients, Vol 13, Iss 2727, p 2727 (2021), Nutrients
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- MDPI AG, 2021.
-
Abstract
- Malnutrition continues to threaten the lives of millions across the world, with children being hardest hit. Although inadequate access to food and infectious disease are the primary causes of childhood malnutrition, the gut microbiota may also contribute. This review considers the evidence on the role of diet in modifying the gut microbiota, and how the microbiota impacts childhood malnutrition. It is widely understood that the gut microbiota of children is influenced by diet, which, in turn, can impact child nutritional status. Additionally, diarrhoea, a major contributor to malnutrition, is induced by pathogenic elements of the gut microbiota. Diarrhoea leads to malabsorption of essential nutrients and reduced energy availability resulting in weight loss, which can lead to malnutrition. Alterations in gut microbiota of severe acute malnourished (SAM) children include increased Proteobacteria and decreased Bacteroides levels. Additionally, the gut microbiota of SAM children exhibits lower relative diversity compared with healthy children. Thus, the data indicate a link between gut microbiota and malnutrition in children, suggesting that treatment of childhood malnutrition should include measures that support a healthy gut microbiota. This could be of particular relevance in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia where prevalence of malnutrition remains a major threat to the lives of millions.
- Subjects :
- Diarrhea
Male
Malabsorption
breastfeeding
Severe Acute Malnutrition
Breastfeeding
Nutritional Status
Review
severe acute malnutrition
Gut flora
Malnutrition in children
Child Nutrition Disorders
digestive system
children
Weight loss
Environmental health
Medicine
Humans
TX341-641
Child
Nutrition and Dietetics
biology
gut microbiota
business.industry
infants
Nutrition. Foods and food supply
digestive, oral, and skin physiology
Infant, Newborn
Infant
medicine.disease
biology.organism_classification
Gastrointestinal Microbiome
Malnutrition
Infectious disease (medical specialty)
Child, Preschool
Female
medicine.symptom
business
Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
diet
Food Science
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 20726643
- Volume :
- 13
- Issue :
- 2727
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Nutrients
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....7183a46697fb9b4967ece344ffb551c0