Linking the Gut Microbial Ecosystem with the Environment: Does Gut Health Depend on Where We Live?

Abstract

Global comparisons reveal a decrease in gut microbiota diversity attributed to Western diets, lifestyle practices such as caesarian section, antibiotic use and formula-feeding of infants, and sanitation of the living environment. While gut microbial diversity is decreasing, the prevalence of chronic inflammatory diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, obesity, allergies and asthma is on the rise in Westernized societies. Since the immune system development is influenced by microbial components, early microbial colonization may be a key factor in determining disease susceptibility patterns later in life. Evidence indicates that the gut microbiota is vertically transmitted from the mother and this affects offspring immunity. However, the role of the external environment in gut microbiome and immune development is poorly understood. Studies show that growing up in microbe-rich environments, such as traditional farms, can have protective health effects on children. These health-effects may be ablated due to changes in the human lifestyle, diet, living environment and environmental biodiversity as a result of urbanization. Importantly, if early-life exposure to environmental microbes increases gut microbiota diversity by influencing patterns of gut microbial assembly, then soil biodiversity loss due to land-use changes such as urbanization could be a public health threat. Here, we summarize key questions in environmental health research and discuss some of the challenges that have hindered progress toward a better understanding of the role of the environment on gut microbiome development.

Health impact of the Anthropocene: the complex relationship between gut microbiota, epigenetics, and human health, using obesity as an example

“…These could then also be analysed from a One Health [139] perspective, including microbiota changes in different species and contexts, with a particular focus on obese cats and dogs [140][141][142][143]. Under this circumstance, obesity needs to be analysed in context, and we suggest as a consequence of a global change in the Anthropocene, summing events such as urbanisation, deforestation, transportation, landuse change, changes in agricultural practices, use of pesticides and loss of soil biodiversity [8,144,145].…”

The Links Between the Gut Microbiome, Aging, Modern Lifestyle and Alzheimer's Disease

“…Zhuang et al showed a decrease in the number of bacteria belonging to the phylum Bacteroidetes, while the number of bacteria in the phylum Firmicutes remained unchanged compared with healthy controls. These differences may be related to a number of factors, including comorbidities, ethnicity, lifestyle, and dietary preferences (Tasnim et al, 2017).…”

Fisheries Volume 45 Number 5 May 2020

“…It is common in aquaculture and hatchery settings to raise fi sh in artifi cial or semi-natural enclosures and an understanding of the fi sh gut microbiome could shed light on strategies to mitigate potential negative effects (e.g., high fi sh density, non-natural diet regime) that are well documented in these systems (Miller et al 2004 ;Araki et al 2007 ). Research on human gut microbiota has shown an overall decrease in microbial diversity in westernized society concurrent with increases in chronic infl ammatory diseases (Tasnim et al 2017 ). This has been linked to the level of "sanitation" of the host ' s environment.…”