Review – 8/8/2017

1. Rural living reduces the risk of inflammatory bowel disease in children under the age of 10, and the effect is strongest for those who live in rural households during the first 5 years of life. The American Journal of Gastroenterology

 

2. Alterations in the infant gut microbiome may influence cognitive development. Children with a high diversity and higher percentage of Bacteroides at age 1 performed better with higher scores when looking at language development, gross motor skills, and perceptual abilities. Biological Psychology

 

3. A recent study targets the kitchen sponge as a bacterial “hot spot” after finding robust colonization of Acinetobacter, Moraxella and Chryseobacterium While this may be true, studies also show that families who wash dishes by hand (versus in a dishwasher) have lower rates of allergic diseases due to increased microbial exposure. Scientific Reports

 

4. Not all plant-based diets are created equal – a diet high in unhealthy plant-based foods (refined grains, fruit juices, and white potatoes) actually had an increased association with heart disease risk when compared to a diet rich in animal foods (cheese, meat, and butter). Diets were focused around healthy plant foods (vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and whole grains such as oatmeal and brown rice) had the lowest risk of heart disease. Moral of the study – eat plants from the earth, not out of a box! Journal of the American College of Cardiology

 

5. Fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) proves a highly effective treatment for recurrent diff infection, better than the conventional Vancomycin (antibiotic) treatment based on a recent review and meta-analysis of the literature. There was no difference between fresh or frozen preparations, and delivery through the lower GI tract was more effective than through the upper GI tract. Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics

 

6. If everyone ate beans instead of beef our 2020 greenhouse-gas emission goals would be met (not to mention the worldwide gut bacterial makeover that would ensue!). This single food substitution is more impactful than downsizing your car, turning off your lights, and giving up showers! Climate Change

 

7. You protect your skin microbiome, but does your lover? A recent study shows that co-habiting couples share a very similar skin microbiome, especially on the feet, torso, and eyelids. Relying on microbial data alone, researchers were able to match couples with 86% accuracy. American Society for Microbiology

 

8. Singapore food scientists formulate a probiotic beer with 1 billion CFUs. If there’s one message we want to make sure you get it’s this: get your probiotic bacteria from naturally occurring foods like green leafy vegetables, not pills! But if you want to try probiotic beer for kicks (not for health benefits), go ahead. Deccan Chronicle

 

9. Iron supplementation promotes an unfavorable gut microbiome in infants. While more studies are needed, this is an important finding to consider given the current iron supplementation recommendations in pregnant women and infants. Nutrients

 

10. Consuming wild mushrooms increases the number and diversity of beneficial (lactic-acid producing) gut bacteria, including Bifidobacteria, Lactobacilli, and Enterobacteriaceae, a recent study shows. LWT – Food Science & Technology

 

By: Leslie Ann Berg, MSPH