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

Medium

Comprehension

Prelims 2019

Which one of the following is the most logical, rational and crucial inference that can be derived from the above passage?

Select an option to attempt

Explanation

Option A is incorrect. Because the passage does not suggest that malnutrition is caused by gut bacteria alone or that it cannot be treated. It only indicates that the microbiome of malnourished children is less mature, but there is no implication that gut bacteria directly cause permanent malnutrition or that treatment is impossible.

Option B is incorrect. B (inoculating malnourished babies with mature microbiomes) is plausible but not directly suggested in the passage.

Option C is incorrect. C (fortifying milk with sialylated oligosaccharides) goes beyond the passage’s content, which does not advocate for this specific intervention.

Option D is correct. Because it connects the research findings about gut bacteria's role in nutrition to broader implications for health policy. The understanding of how nutrition and microbiome development affect child health can influence decisions in areas like healthcare access, nutritional standards, and maternal health care policies.