Science: Starving children often don’t recover, even when fed enough. Restoring their gut bacteria could help
“Even after starving children get enough to eat again, they often fail to grow. Their brains don’t develop properly, and they remain susceptible to diseases, even many years later. Two studies in Science this week now suggest fostering the right gut microbes may help these children recover. The work also pinpoints combinations of foods that nurture the beneficial microbes. … The results suggest a way to improve nutrition even in well-fed children, in whom a poor diet can lead to an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, and other diseases as adults…” (Pennisi, 7/11).

Additional coverage of the studies is available from BBC News, NPR, and STAT.