In the urban slum region, the taxa that were significantly associated belong to the genus Megasphaera, Prevotella, and Prevotellaceae family, and may indicate associations with the risk of diseases as reported previously. In rural areas, taxa significantly associated were Erysipelotrichaceae UCG-003, Turicibacter, and Marvinbryantia, which may indicate a fibre rich diet. However, there were significant differences in microbiome diversity among the two regions. Researchers said: “ This may be because, in adults, the core microbiome becomes stable over time, which tends to change with the effect of environment and other factors.” The study found that microbiome diversity among the nourished and undernourished people within the respective locations was not significantly different, despite a significant difference in caloric and macronutrient (carbohydrate, protein) intake. Participants were provided with a stool collection kit, and dietary details were collected using a 24-hour recall questionnaire. The rural village comprised 12 undernourished and 13 nourished adults, while the urban slum consisted 11 undernourished and 12 nourished adults.Ī BMI of <18.5 kg/m 2 is classified as undernourished, and 18.5–25 kg/m 2 is considered nourished. Participants were recruited if they have lived in the respective locations for a minimum of one year. This meant they typically had assess to fresh, farm-grown staples, and have a better diet overall. In contrast to the urban slum, people in the rural village own pieces of land mainly for agrarian and animal husbandry purposes. Thindlu is a rural village located 36 km away from Bangalore city. This limits the access to fresh, wholesome produce and their diet typically comprise processed foods which are cheaper and more affordable. Researchers compared the gut microbiome in faecal samples of 48 individuals, from two demographic settings (rural and urban slum) in Karnataka, India using 16S rRNA sequencing.ĭJ Halli is an urban slum in Bangalore, where about 75% of the population reportedly fall below the poverty line. The study also wanted to analyse the role of nutritional status on gut microbiome in both undernourished and nourished adults.įindings were published in Frontiers in Nutrition. This current study is the first in India investigating the role of residential location on the composition of the gut microbiome. In contrast, people living in urban slums had a high Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio (higher Firmicutes levels, lower Bacteroidetes) which have been studied previously to be associated with risk of diseases. In a study conducted by researchers in India and UK, rural village dwellers had significantly more butyrate producing genera such as Marvinbryantia and Turicibacter, which help prevents inflammation. China: Probiotic supplements in e-commerce.Digestion and immunity probiotic supplements in e-commerce.Explained: The US e-commerce probiotic supplements market.Probiotic supplements: Global e-commerce 2018-2020, forecast for 2021.The gut-brain axis: Psychobiotic opportunity in 25 countriese.