Gut microbiomes follow distinct trajectories during urbanization across South Asia

Urbanization is one of the most consequential demographic shifts of the 21st century.

As communities move from traditional or rural to urbanized ways of life, changes in diet, lifestyle and environmental exposures can influence many aspects of human biology and health.

Research has shown that urbanization can alter the gut microbiome, the community of microorganisms inhabiting the digestive tract, but whether this transition follows a common pattern across different global populations has remained unclear. ...