None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The early life microbiome plays a crucial role in immune system development and is associated with various health outcomes later in life. A healthy gut microbiome established in early life can reduce the risk of microbiome-related diseases and promote long-term health benefits. Weaning, the transition to solid foods during early life, particularly complex carbohydrates, is considered a “window of opportunity” for shaping the gut microbiome with its optimal configuration. Introducing prebiotic complementary foods can be an effective strategy for establishing a healthy microbiome during this time. However, the infant gut microbiota at the early weaning stage has limited capability to ferment complex carbohydrates and prebiotic substrates. It remains unclear how and when important carbohydrate fermenting microbes and butyrate producers colonize the infant's gut. To develop an effective and practical strategy for shaping healthy infant gut microbiota, a deeper understanding of the developmental trajectory of gut microbiota and its fermentation ability along with the introduction of solid foods is required.
Interventions
Changes in gut microbiome composition and fermentation ability along with the introduction of solid foods. Faecal samples and dietary information will be collected at preweaning, early weaning (week 4, week 8 and week 12 after first solid food), and late stage of weaning (around 12 months old). Dietary information will be collected using a paper-based two-day food record and a food frequency questionnaire, which will take approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour to complete.
Sponsors
CSIRO
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
4 Months to 7 Months
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
• Infants at least 4 months old • Infants have not yet commenced solid food • Caregiver is willing to collect and provide faecal samples of their children • Caregiver is willing to complete a study survey and provide their child feeding information • Live in Adelaide and surrounding areas (within 20 km from Adelaide CBD) • Caregiver can read and write in English • Caregiver is willing to provide informed consent on behalf of themselves and their infant
Exclusion criteria
• Infants born prematurely (gestational age <37 weeks) • Infants with birth weight <2500g • Infants had antibiotics since birth • Have been diagnosed of any medical conditions (e.g. feeding intolerance, gastrointestinal conditions, cystic fibrosis and other genetic defects) that may affect gut microbiome as determined by the Principal Investigator
Outcome results
None listed