Greatest Impact on a Child's Beneficial Bacteria?

The factor that has the greatest impact on the development of a child's gut flora is whether the child is breastfed, according to a new study from Applied and Environmental Microbiology. The study shows that breastfeeding promotes the growth of beneficial lactic acid bacteria in the baby's gut flora, which are beneficial to the development of the child's immune system.

A number of studies have shown that breastfed babies grow slightly slower and are slightly slimmer than children who are fed with infant formula. Children who are breastfed also have a slightly lower incidence of obesity, allergies, diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease later in life. This may be due to the fact that breastfeeding promotes the development of beneficial bacteria in the baby's gut.

There are significant changes in the intestinal bacterial composition from nine to 18 months following cessation of breastfeeding and other types of food being introduced. However, a child's gut microbiota continues to evolve right up to the age of three, as it becomes increasingly complex and also more stable.

Steve: This probably means that there is a 'window' during those early years, in which intestinal bacteria are more susceptible to external factors than what is seen in adults.