WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A new study, published in Communications Biology, looked at how the lack of a helpful gut bacteria called Bifidobacterium affects babies' health in their first two years.
Notably, these bacteria are important because they help break down complex sugars in breast milk, known as human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs). Also, it plays an important role in protecting babies from long-term illnesses.
The study is part of a large project called My Baby Biome, which is tracking the gut health of hundreds of babies in the U.S. over seven years. The current findings are from the first two years and include data from 412 babies between 4 and 12 weeks old, representing a mix of backgrounds across the U.S.
Researchers found that 76 percent of the babies had low levels of Bifidobacteria, and 25 percent had none at all. The lack of these bacteria has been linked to changes in diet, more C-sections, antibiotic use, and modern hygiene practices.
Out of 210 babies who were followed up at age two, the researchers found that a total of 30 percent had several health issues, such as 12.4 percent had allergies, 21 percent had eczema or skin problems, and 3.3 percent suffered from asthma.
The study concluded that babies with low or no Bifidobacteria were more likely to develop chronic immune-related conditions. On the other hand, babies who had these bacteria were better protected, lowering their chances of getting these conditions.
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