On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Processed probiotic foods are a solution to treat the children suffering from malnutrition due to immature gut bacteria composition. 2. The babies of malnourished mothers generally tend to be malnourished. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

Passage

In a study, scientists compared the microbiomes of poorly nourished and well nourished infants and young children. Gut microbes were isolated from faecal samples of malnourished and healthy children. The microbiome was ‘immature” and less diverse in malnourished children compared to the better developed “mature” microbiome found in healthy children of the same age. According to some studies, the chemical composition of mother’s milk has shown the presence of a modified sugar (sialylated oligosaccharides). This is not utilized by the baby for its own nutrition. However, the bacteria constituting the infant’s microbiome thrive on this sugar which serves as their food. Malnourished mothers have low levels of this sugar in their milk. Consequently, the microbiomes of their infants fail to mature. That in turn, leads to malnourished babies.

QUESTION

CSAT

Easy

Comprehension

Prelims 2019

On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:

Processed probiotic foods are a solution to treat the children suffering from malnutrition due to immature gut bacteria composition.
The babies of malnourished mothers generally tend to be malnourished.

Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

Select an option to attempt

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect. The passage discusses the differences in microbiomes between malnourished and well-nourished children, stating that the microbiomes of malnourished children are less diverse and immature. However, the passage does not mention any specific solution like processed probiotic foods for treating malnutrition or improving gut bacteria. Therefore, this assumption cannot be directly inferred from the passage.

Statement 2 is correct. The passage describes how malnourished mothers have low levels of sialylated oligosaccharides in their milk, which affects the development of the infant's microbiome, preventing it from maturing properly. This can lead to malnourished babies, as their microbiomes fail to mature. This aligns with the statement that babies of malnourished mothers tend to be malnourished.