Researchers studied the gut bacteria of about 200 children living in urban Ethiopia and discovered something surprising: their bacteria look more like children in Europe and North America than like children living in rural Africa. This happened because city families eat different foods, use more antibiotics, and have different lifestyles than rural families. However, the study found that eating traditional fermented grains called tef helped keep the bacteria more diverse and healthy. This research shows that moving to city life changes our gut bacteria in ways that might affect our health, but traditional foods may help protect us.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: How living in a city versus the countryside affects the types of bacteria living in children’s stomachs and intestines
  • Who participated: About 200 children between ages 2 and 5 years old living in Adama, a city in Ethiopia
  • Key finding: Urban Ethiopian children have gut bacteria that look more like European children than like rural African children, with fewer of the bacteria types traditionally found in Africa and more of the types associated with Western diets
  • What it means for you: If you live in a city, your gut bacteria may be different from your ancestors’ because of modern foods and lifestyles. Eating traditional fermented foods like tef may help maintain healthier bacteria diversity, though more research is needed to understand if this actually improves health.

The Research Details

Scientists collected poop samples from children living in Adama, Ethiopia, and analyzed the bacteria in those samples using special genetic testing methods. They looked at which bacteria were present and in what amounts. They also asked families questions about how the children were born (natural birth or C-section), whether they were breastfed, how many people lived in their home, what foods they ate, and other lifestyle factors. By comparing all this information, they could see which factors seemed to change the types of bacteria in children’s guts.

The researchers used two different testing methods: one that identifies bacteria by looking at specific genetic markers, and another that reads the complete genetic code of all the bacteria present. This gave them a detailed picture of what bacteria lived in each child’s gut and what those bacteria could do.

Understanding how lifestyle changes affect gut bacteria is important because the bacteria in our intestines affect our digestion, immune system, and overall health. By studying children in cities in Africa, scientists can see what happens when families transition from traditional to modern lifestyles, which helps us understand how these changes might affect health.

This study is a real scientific research project published in a respected science journal. The researchers tested about 200 children and used advanced genetic testing methods to identify bacteria accurately. However, this is one study in one city, so the results may not apply to all urban African children or all cities. The study shows what is happening but doesn’t prove that the bacteria changes cause health problems.

What the Results Show

The most striking finding was that urban Ethiopian children have very different gut bacteria compared to rural African children. Bacteria types that are common in rural Africa—like Segatella and Prevotella—were almost completely missing in the city children. Instead, the city children had bacteria patterns that looked similar to European and North American children, with more Firmicutes bacteria and fewer Bacteroidota bacteria.

The researchers also discovered that things scientists thought would be very important—like whether a baby was born naturally or by C-section, or whether they were breastfed—actually had only small effects on the bacteria. Instead, two unexpected factors made a big difference: whether the home had multiple rooms (more crowded homes had more diverse bacteria) and whether children ate tef, a traditional fermented grain. Children who ate tef had more diverse and varied bacteria in their guts.

Another interesting finding was that children who were shorter than expected for their age (a condition called stunting) and children who didn’t have a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori had more diverse bacteria overall. This suggests that the relationship between bacteria diversity and health is complex and not always straightforward.

The genetic analysis showed that urban Ethiopian children had bacteria that were better suited to digesting a Western diet with processed foods, rather than the traditional African diet of grains, vegetables, and fermented foods. The bacteria in city children had more genes related to breaking down complex carbohydrates from processed foods. This suggests that the bacteria actually adapt to match what people eat.

Previous research had studied gut bacteria in European and North American children, and separately in rural African children, but very few studies had looked at African children living in cities. This study fills that gap and shows that urban African children are not simply a mix between rural African and Western patterns—they actually look more like Western children. This suggests that city lifestyle factors are very powerful in changing bacteria composition.

This study only looked at children in one city in Ethiopia, so results might be different in other African cities or countries. The study shows what bacteria are present but doesn’t prove that these bacteria changes cause any health problems or benefits. The researchers couldn’t study whether these bacteria changes actually affect children’s health, growth, or disease risk. Additionally, the study is a snapshot in time and doesn’t follow children over years to see how their bacteria change as they grow up.

The Bottom Line

Based on this research, eating traditional fermented foods like tef appears to help maintain more diverse gut bacteria, which may be beneficial. However, this is one study and more research is needed before making strong health recommendations. If you live in a city, including traditional fermented foods in your diet may be a good idea, but this shouldn’t replace other healthy eating habits like eating vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.

This research is most relevant to families living in African cities who are adopting Western lifestyles, and to health professionals working in urban Africa. It’s also interesting for anyone curious about how modern city life affects our bodies. People living in rural areas or those already eating traditional diets may see less dramatic changes. This research is not a reason to change your diet if you’re already healthy, but it provides interesting context about how lifestyle affects our bodies.

Changes in gut bacteria can happen relatively quickly—sometimes within weeks or months of dietary changes. However, whether these bacteria changes lead to noticeable health improvements would take longer to observe and would require additional research to understand.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track weekly consumption of fermented foods (servings of tef, yogurt, kimchi, or other fermented items) and note any changes in digestion comfort, energy levels, or bowel regularity over 8-12 weeks
  • Add one serving of a fermented or traditional grain food to your diet 3-4 times per week, such as tef porridge, fermented oats, or traditional sourdough bread, and log it in the app to build the habit
  • Create a monthly check-in to assess overall digestive health, energy levels, and food diversity, comparing months when fermented food intake was high versus low to identify personal patterns

This research describes what bacteria are found in urban Ethiopian children’s guts and how lifestyle factors relate to these bacteria. It does not prove that changing your diet will improve your health or prevent disease. If you have concerns about your child’s growth, digestion, or health, please consult with a healthcare provider. This study is one piece of scientific research and should not be used as the sole basis for medical decisions. Always discuss dietary changes with a doctor, especially for young children or those with existing health conditions.