Inequalities also affect the gut microbiome

People worry about access to immaculate water, electricity, healthcare, and hearty food because these are imperative for survival. But do they ever think about access to microbes?

Every day, humans encounter microbes—in the air, water, soil, food, and buildings—and pick them up and leave them wherever they go. While you may be reaching for the hand sanitizer as you read this, many of these microbes are beneficial to human health. But not everyone has equal access to good microbes.

Social equity is the practice of applying justice and fairness to our social policies. Society often measures equity in terms of access. Do people have equal access to hearty food and immaculate water? Healthcare? Secure housing? Parks and forests? My concept of “microbes and social equity” is rooted in the fact that we rely on microbes to live in our bodies or in the environment around us. We need public policies that promote access to microbes.

I am a gut microbiologistand I want to understand the microbes that pass through our digestive tract and how they affect us. For example, humans cannot digest plant fibers; In fact, we rely on several species of microbes in our intestines, which allows us to obtain the necessary nutrients. Microbes also help to “train” our immune cells not attack the trillions of microorganisms living in or on the body, thus maintaining a fine truce.

Connecting with good microbes

I wanted to create a space for learning and discussion around the idea of ​​“Microbes and Social Equity,” so I designed and taught a course at the University of Oregon in the summer of 2019. I focused on how access to basic necessities, such as nutritious foods (especially fiber), prenatal and postnatal health care, and green spaces and urban parks, can impact microbial exposures and individual experiences across the lifespan. These findings and discussions are now published as peer-reviewed essay in PLoS Biology.

Fibrous foods recruit microbes in the gut, especially those that break down and ferment convoluted plant carbohydrates to create their own energy. In doing so, they produce several molecules (such as butyrate) that we apply for energy, and they provide a range of health benefits.

An article in the journal PloS Biology presents examples of research on microorganisms and health, such as the benefits of a high-fiber diet on the recruitment of beneficial microorganisms. intestinal microorganisms and alleviating diabetes symptomsThere are specific examples of social policies that can promote access to microbes, such as implementing more school nutrition programs that require fruits and vegetables. There are also examples of policies that negatively impact microbes, such as inadequate food infrastructure in prisons, which can enable the spread of foodborne illnesses.

My students were particularly interested in policies that support maternal health care and enable breastfeeding. Breast milk contains essential components that strengthen the infant’s immune system, as well as a diverse community of bacteria, some of which supports the digestion of milk in the intestines of infants and bring health benefits.

In infants who are fed only formula milk, the number of intestinal microorganisms increases and they lack those originating from breast milk that protects against allergies and other health problems. It is known that the rules for providing prenatal and postnatal care improve maternal and infant health outcomes. These policies also support exposure of mother and child to microorganisms, which can have enormous health benefits. The lack of good policies can have the opposite effect: many women find the lack of social and infrastructural support to be preventing them from breastfeeding their childrenwhich further deprives children of the microbes they need.

Impoverished quality of urban infrastructure leads to destitute quality of health care

The quality of the environment has a huge impact on health. It is known that plants produce chemicals that have a beneficial effect on human health, and exposure to a variety of microbes in the natural environment can keep our immune system in good shape. Living near industrial areas exposes residents to the deterioration of air quality and contamination of water sources with hazardous materials, noise and more. What’s worse, research suggests that Polluting industries are often deliberately placed in unfavourable conditionslow-income or predominantly minority neighborhoods because they lack the social capital to negotiate better zoning. And highly urbanized or industrial zones spread various microbes than a forest or park, changing exposure to outdoor microorganisms for residents of poorly planned neighborhoods.

Inequalities in access—such as only putting parks in wealthier neighborhoods—create social inequalities in the distribution of resources. But they also create inequalities in exposure to microorganisms and can have health implications. But zoning can be used to facilitate distribute resources equitably.

Access is fundamental to creating social equity. Around the world, many governments have a legal obligation to provide access to a unthreatening and hearty environment. Given that microbes are integral to maintaining public health, it follows that there is also a legal obligation to provide policies and infrastructure to enable equitable access to microbes.

This can be achieved by providing mothers with affordable health care and parental leave, which makes breastfeeding easier and helps the immune system develop good microorganisms.

This can be done by providing access to affordable, high-quality, high-fiber diets, especially by ensuring access to hearty foods in public schools, prisons, and underserved “food deserts.”

This can also be done through equitable distribution of natural environments and green spaces in urban areas. Encouraging the establishment of urban farms, local farmers’ markets, bike paths and walking trails, and encouraging stores to stock and sell hearty foods can make urban and rural areas healthier by promoting physical activity, good food, immaculate air and water, and diverse exposures to microorganisms.

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