An anthroposophic
lifestyle and intestinal microflora in infancy.
Alm
JS, Swartz J, Bjorksten B, Engstrand L, Engstrom J, Kuhn I, Lilja G,
Mollby R, Norin E, Pershagen G, Reinders C, Wreiber K, Scheynius
A.
Sachs' Children's Clinic, Soder Hospital, Stockholm,
Sweden. Johan.Alm@sos.ki.se
The intestinal flora is considered to
have an impact on the development of the immune system. In the
anthroposophic lifestyle, a diet comprising vegetables spontaneously
fermented by lactobacilli, and a restrictive use of antibiotics,
anti-pyretics and vaccinations, is typical. The aim of this study was to
assess the gut flora in infants in relation to certain lifestyle
characteristics associated with anthroposophy. Sixty-nine children <
2 years of age with an anthroposophic lifestyle, and 59 infants of a
similar age with a traditional lifestyle, were clinically examined and
questionnaire replies assessed. Fecal samples were analyzed by bacterial
enumeration, bacterial typing through biochemical fingerprinting and by
measuring microflora-associated characteristics (MACs). The numbers of
colony-forming units (CFU)/g of feces were significantly higher for
enterococci and lactic acid bacteria in children who had never been
exposed to antibiotics (5.5 x 107 vs. 2.1 x 107; p < 0.001 and 10 x
107 vs. 4.1 x 107; p < 0.01, respectively). Furthermore, the number
of enterococci was significantly higher in breastfed and vegetarian
infants (p < 0.01). The diversity (Simpson's diversity index) of
lactobacilli, as determined by biochemical fingerprinting, was higher in
infants born at home than in those born in hospital (p < 0.01).
Several MACs were related to specific lifestyle features, and infants
with an anthroposophic lifestyle had a higher proportion of acetic acid
and a lower proportion of propionic acid in their stool as compared to
the control children. In conclusion, lifestyle factors related to the
anthroposophic way of life influenced the composition of the gut flora
in the infants. These differences may contribute to the lower prevalence
of atopic disease previously observed in children in anthroposophic
families.