Research

Mixed

Early-life gut dysbiosis, caused by factors such as cesarean section, antibiotic exposure, or formula feeding, is associated with an increased risk of developing metabolic disorders (obesity, diabetes) and immune-mediated diseases (asthma, allergies) in later life.

The composition of your infant's gut microbiota in the first few years of life, influenced by birth mode, feeding type, and antibiotic use, may program their long-term risk for obesity, diabetes, and allergies. While you cannot change birth mode or past antibiotic use, focusing on a diverse, fiber-rich diet for the child as they grow may support a healthy microbiome development.

ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
studies provide evidence supporting that imbalances of the gut microbiota in early life, referred to as dysbiosis, are associated with specific childhood or adult disease outcomes, such as asthma, atopic dermatitis, diabetes, allergic diseases, obesity, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and neurological disorders.
Anujit Sarkar et al. · Journal of Clinical Medicine · 2021

Why this rating

The paper is a review summarizing observational and animal studies; it notes associations but acknowledges that mechanistic changes in aging and causality are not fully established.

Source

The Association between Early-Life Gut Microbiota and Long-Term Health and Diseases

Anujit Sarkar et al. · Journal of Clinical Medicine · 2021

DOI 10.3390/jcm10030459

narrative_reviewCited 304×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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