Staying Healthy Takes Guts Full of Microbes

保持健康需要肠道里充满微生物GJW~HBRURy6)_5。

Everywhere you go, the trillions of microbes in your gut go too. And that's a comforting thought. Because according to a new study, a more diverse population of intestinal bacteria is linked to better health. The work is in the journal Nature.

你去任何地方，你肠道中的数万亿微生物也跟着去任何地方saPlumPGfj1-jv。这是个令人欣慰的想法nZ&~8r*ejMg。因为根据最新的研究，更多的肠道微生物意味着更好的健康状态+c4+gv3BU8ho@ALUXAOi。这份研究发表在《自然》杂志上9))N+^(4C5。

Danish researchers gathered gut microbes from almost 300 obese and non-obese adults. The intestines of roughly one in four participants contained fewer and less diverse bacteria than average. And members of this group were more likely to be obese and to suffer from gut inflammation.

丹麦研究人员从300名肥胖和非肥胖成年人肠道中收集了微生物v)ai[1-|48bKEOGL=jA。每四个参与者中有一个的肠道微生物数量低于平均值!B%IH|u2^kTf4F。这些低于平均值的人更倾向于肥胖，并且有肠道感染!ip@FD0.]Jh~~L-f;],w。

By looking for only a few specific bacteria, researchers could predict whether a subject fell into the low-diversity group. Certain species could even indicate whether an individual was slim or overweight. And these microbial markers might also serve as signs of future health risks—because low-diversity participants who were obese were more likely to gain additional weight over time.

通过观察几种特定细菌，研究人员能预测研究对象是不是属于微生物低种类组_IB4Q258mfvsiK8(;PY。特定的微生物甚至能预测个体是苗条还是肥胖c]KYuEfb31)kMy4j。这些微生物也能提供未来健康风险的标志，因为体内微生物种类低的肥胖研究对象更有可能变得更肥胖2UohXkMde[ifUu3!FXx。

But a low-diversity gut won't necessarily doom your health. According to another study in the same journal, it's possible to increase microbial diversity by developing a decent diet. Remember, you’re eating for trillions.

但是肠道微生物种类低不一定说明健康状况不好J&3924Qf3d^1RP=%JB6。根据该杂志上另一项研究显示，通过适当的饮食可以增加微生物种类UVcT5+kd.I7zvHRo。记住，你是为健康而食io7z*]6CCF!#=ju*R。

—Sophie Bushwick