Diet-Microbiome Interactions in Pediatric Gastrointestinal Disease

Our gut harbors a highly dense community of microorganisms which play an important role in the maintenance of human health. Perturbation of this microbial community is believed to cause or influence the risk of development of diseases, including noncommunicable diseases such as those of the gastrointestinal tract. This review presents recent literature on the role of the gut microbial community and its interaction with diet in the etiology, progression, and outcomes of gastrointestinal diseases in children. We allude that even though the gut microbiome is commonly altered in pediatric conditions like inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, intestinal failure, and necrotizing enterocolitis, it is still unclear the implications these findings have for the underlying etiology of these conditions or in informing clinical and nutritional practices. It is possible that in the future, the gut microbiome may
help in disease diagnosis, prediction of clinical outcomes, or comprise a target for dietary therapy.