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Early Gut Microbes Are Important Predictors of Future Weight in Breastfed Infants

Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Objectives: Human milk can provide infants with complete nutrition in the first six months. However, some energy sources found in milk are only digestible by specific microorganisms in the infant gut. Whether these microbes influence infant growth is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine if gut microbes contribute to the growth of infants born to well-nourished mothers. We hypothesized that models of infant growth would improve with the addition of microbial features. We also predicted there may be a “lag” effect: microbial abundances from earlier visits may better predict infant weight than microbial abundances measured at the same visit.
DOI: 10.1016/j.cdnut.2026.108607
Authors: Andrew Oliver, Lindsay H Allen, Sophie E Moore, Anura Kurpad, Setareh Shahab-Ferdows, Daniela Hampel, Zeynep Alkan, Gilberto Kac, Christian Mølgaard, Kim F Michaelsen, M Munirul Islam, Mary E Kable, Danielle G Lemay
Institutions: University of California, Davis, United States Department of Agriculture, King's College London, St.John's Medical College Hospital, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, University of Copenhagen, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research
Language: English
Field: Nursing
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $5,000
OpenAlex ID: W7170310130
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