Health Report Indigenous babies born with more gut bugs
10 snips
Dec 12, 2025 Len Harrison, a research scientist from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, discusses groundbreaking findings on the gut microbiome of remote Indigenous infants. These babies are born with a more diverse microbiome, containing rare bacterial species that have vanished from non-Indigenous populations. This diversity is crucial as it may protect against chronic diseases later in life. Len emphasizes the need for community collaboration and policy changes, advocating for access to healthy foods to preserve these ancestral microbiomes.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Remote Indigenous Infants Have Richer Microbiomes
- Indigenous infants in remote Australia have a richer, more diverse gut microbiome than urban non-Indigenous infants.
- This diversity includes bacterial species now absent from non-Indigenous infant populations, suggesting a preserved ancestral microbiome.
Healthy Start Can Be Undone By Western Diet
- Starting life with a healthier-looking microbiome may not protect against later chronic disease once Western diets arrive.
- Len Harrison suggests high immune responsiveness plus Western diet may drive inflammation and cardiometabolic risk.
Explain Microbiome Importance To Communities
- Engage communities by explaining what the microbiome is and why it's important for health.
- Then emphasise practical ways to preserve microbiome diversity, like avoiding harmful Western diet components.