Despite facing some of the highest rates of chronic disease later in life, a new study has found remote First Nations Australians are born with a natural health advantage: a rich and diverse gut microbiome.
The natural health advantage was uncovered through a study conducted by WEHI in collaboration with The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute) and Elders in the Northern Territory, that compared the gut bacteria of Indigenous and non-Indigenous infants.
The findings provide a crucial blueprint for future studies to better understand how to prevent westernisation from eroding this strong marker of early-life health, and why First Nations Australians are over-represented in chronic diseases despite this healthy start.
At a glance
- Landmark study reveals Indigenous infants in remote Australia are born with more diverse gut bacteria – a key marker of early-life health – than non-Indigenous infants living in urban Australia.
- Indigenous infants were also found to have bacteria that have completely disappeared from non-Indigenous populations, highlighting how Westernisation can impact health outcomes.
