Study finds eight Indian tribal groups have distinct diet-linked gut microbiomes
Researchers reported in the journal Gut Microbes that the gut microbiomes of eight tribal populations across India show unique diversity shaped by traditional diets and differ from those seen in industrialised settings. The study analysed dietary data and faecal samples from 76 healthy adults from communities including Warli, Madia, Gond, Kabui, and Brokpa, Purigpa, Balti, and Boto, and identified differences such as a distinct strain of Bifidobacterium adolescentis in trans-Himalayan groups associated with high dairy intake.
The findings provide a baseline for under-represented Indian tribal communities that could inform future region-specific probiotic or microbiome-based health interventions and support arguments for biobanking to preserve microbial diversity.