Study Finds Childhood Activities May Shape Gut Bacteria Later In Life

Childhood activities may influence one's gut bacteria balance later in life, according to a new report. Such activities include things like physical fitness and sleeping, with adequate sleep levels and high activity being linked to diverse gut bacteria profiles. The study provides a preliminary look at how early childhood may help shape gut microbiota later in life.

The research comes out of CHU Sainte-Justine in Montreal, where researchers studied the gut microbiota of 22 healthy children who had at least one obese parent. The study followed these kids over eight years, ultimately using stool samples taken at ages 15 to 17 to determine gut bacteria composition and diversity.

When correlating the information with lifestyle, the study found that teens with a high fitness level and who had adequate sleep during childhood were more likely to have diverse, healthier gut bacteria than the opposite. These teens were also found to eat higher amounts of carbohydrates and lesser amounts of fat.

The researchers caution that these findings are preliminary, saying they suggest lifestyle factors can play a role in shaping gut microbiota. It's possible that getting inadequate levels of sleep or having a low level of fitness could have a negative effect on shaping gut bacteria, that potentially paving the way for health risks later in life.

Talking about the research is Dr. Melanie Henderson, who said:

The results of this study certainly suggest that lifestyle changes during childhood may help to favour a healthy intestinal microbiota, which may in turn lower the risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases such as diabetes, however further research is needed to confirm these findings in a larger number of children.

SOURCE: EurekAlert