Bacterial overgrowth can be major cause of stunting in children: Study

Excessive growth of bacteria in the small intestine could be damaging to the gut of young children, leading to stunting, according to a new study done by icddr,b, the University of Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University, reports UNB.
The study reveals that one possible factor contributing to stunting is damage to the gut - “environmental enteropathy” - leading to inflammation and poor uptake of dietary nutrients.
The origins of environmental enteropathy are not clear, but excessive numbers of bacteria in the small intestine, referred to as small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), have been suggested as one possible cause.
Globally, 165 million children are stunted for their age, while in Bangladesh stunting affects 36 per cent of under-five children. Being stunted increases the chance of both cognitive disability and death before the age of 5 years.
The researchers of the study examined 103 two-year-old children who had been followed from birth in an urban slum in Mirpur, Dhaka.  
Despite vaccination, medical care, nutritional counselling and care, stunting increased in these infants from 9.5 per cent at birth to 27.6 per cent at one year of age.
One in every six two-year-old children tested showed signs of SIBO, as revealed by the presence of hydrogen in their breath, a result of bacterial metabolism of sugar to hydrogen in the small intestine.  Importantly, bacterial overgrowth was more common in children showing stunted growth and was associated with gut inflammation.
“We knew that the children’s intestines were being damaged and that was associated with malnutrition, so we decided to test to see if this damage could be due in part to bacteria in their small intestine,” said Dr Jeff Donowitz, the lead author of the study.
“One of the things we are working on now is to see when small intestine bacterial overgrowth occurs as children grow up in urban slums and understand its contribution,” Donowitz added.
Commenting on the study, Dr Tahmeed Ahmed, senior director of Nutrition & Clinical Services Division at icddr,b, said the findings certainly provide fresh knowledge about gut damage.
“However, it is important to know to what extent small intestine bacterial overgrowth is associated with stunting in order to identify ways to treat gut bacterial overgrowth and tackle stunting among children.”

Bacterial overgrowth can be major cause of stunting in children: Study

Excessive growth of bacteria in the small intestine could be damaging to the gut of young children, leading to stunting, according to a new study done by icddr,b, the University of Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University, reports UNB. The study reveals that one possible factor contributing to stunting is damage to the gut - environmental enteropathy - leading to inflammation and poor uptake of dietary nutrients. The origins of environmental enteropathy are not clear, but excessive numbers of bacteria in the small intestine, referred to as small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), have been suggested as one possible cause. Globally, 165 million children are stunted for their age, while in Bangladesh stunting affects 36 per cent of under-five children. Being stunted increases the chance of both cognitive disability and death before the age of 5 years. The researchers of the study examined 103 two-year-old children who had been followed from birth in an urban slum in Mirpur, Dhaka. Despite vaccination, medical care, nutritional counselling and care, stunting increased in these infants from 9.5 per cent at birth to 27.6 per cent at one year of age. One in every six two-year-old children tested showed signs of SIBO, as revealed by the presence of hydrogen in their breath, a result of bacterial metabolism of sugar to hydrogen in the small intestine. Importantly, bacterial overgrowth was more common in children showing stunted growth and was associated with gut inflammation. We knew that the childrens intestines were being damaged and that was associated with malnutrition, so we decided to test to see if this damage could be due in part to bacteria in their small intestine, said Dr Jeff Donowitz, the lead author of the study. One of the things we are working on now is to see when small intestine bacterial overgrowth occurs as children grow up in urban slums and understand its contribution, Donowitz added. Commenting on the study, Dr Tahmeed Ahmed, senior director of Nutrition Clinical Services Division at icddr,b, said the findings certainly provide fresh knowledge about gut damage. However, it is important to know to what extent small intestine bacterial overgrowth is associated with stunting in order to identify ways to treat gut bacterial overgrowth and tackle stunting among children.