Abnormalities in bacterial communities that live in the intestines and poor diet is the cause of malnutrition in children. The researchers claim, research results are also confirmed by additional studies in mice.
Based on studies in laboratory mice transplanted known intestinal microbes taken from malnourished children experience dramatic weight loss. Besides its metabolism is also disturbed after mice were given a diet low in nutrients.
"Microbial gut of malnourished children and malnourished mice did not show a normal and healthy," said Dr.Jeffery Gordon, director of the Center for Genome Science & Systems Biology.
Abnormalities of gut bacteria that can not be overcome by high-calorie diet and healthy because the effect is only temporary. Therefore, experts are now trying to find new strategies to improve the intestinal bacterial community so that children can grow and develop optimally.
Poor diet indeed affect malnutrition at the age of the children. But scientists have long been suspicious of why only a handful of children affected by the condition while others do not even though the children were living in one house and were given the same food.
The results of these observations lead to the conclusion that diet alone can not explain why the children were malnourished.
Supplementary feeding will only affect temporary. Although the child's weight can be increased, but remain malnourished children will experience growth disorders, neurological disorders and even death, if supplementary feeding is stopped.
Gordon Research conducted involved 317 pairs of twins in Malawi in the first three years of age. During that period, half of the children grow up healthy and the rest, either both or one of the pairs of twins suffering from malnutrition.
The study focused on children who suffer from malnutrition types of kwashiorkor, a disease that has symptoms distended stomach, liver damage, skin ulcers, loss of appetite and body lean.
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