CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—Western developed countries controlled infectious diseases in the last half of the 1900s via improved vaccines, antibiotics and sanitation, but the continuance of the western junk food diet—low in fiber, high in fat, sugar and protein—appears to have changed the microflora balance in the gut, leading to the recent rise in allergies, autoimmune and inflammatory bowel diseases. This conclusion stems from new University of Florence, Firenze, Italy, research published online ahead of print in the Proceedings of the Natural Academy of Sciences.
The Italian researchers looked at the gut microflora of both European kids, who typically followed a western diet, and African children, who typically followed a high-fiber, low-fat diet. The scientists found the African children had a healthier balance of good and bad bacteria, compared to the European children. African kids had higher levels of fatty acids that produce energy, and had less of the harmful bacteria, such as E.coli, which are linked to gut problems including diarrhea and upset stomach. They theorized the fiber-rich African diet provided good energy levels while protecting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract from inflammatory and other colonic diseases.