scienceSource: The HinduPublished
Urban Diets and Gut Microbes: A Study on India's Health
science · The HinduA recent study on Indian diets reveals the impact of urbanization on gut microbes and the rising rates of diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. Researchers found that bacteria in the gut, not just genes, play a crucial role in explaining these trends. The study suggests that a change in diet, particularly the consumption of processed food, contributes to the shift in gut microbiomes.
At a glance
- The study found that Megamonas, a bacterium linked to obesity and hypertension, is more abundant in urban individuals than in their rural kin.
- Holdemanella, associated with fibre intake and glucose tolerance, is prevalent in South Asia but appears to be lost with urbanization.
- The findings push against the long-standing account of dairy in the subcontinent, suggesting that the lactase-persistence gene is not a requirement for milk digestion.