GS-3: Environment and Climate Change
Key Highlights
- Climate-driven food shortages and nutrient losses impact gut microbiota, increasing disease risks.
- Elevated CO₂ levels reduce micronutrients (e.g., phosphorus, zinc, iron) in crops like wheat and maize.
- Malnutrition and reduced microbial diversity are linked to diseases like eczema, diabetes, and inflammatory bowel disease.
- Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face higher risks due to climate vulnerability and nutritional deficiencies.
- Evidence suggests gut dysbiosis contributes to neurological and immune disorders.
Detailed Insights
- Diversity Disrupted:
- Climate change alters nutrient content in crops and animal foods.
- Gut microbiota imbalances arise, favoring harmful microbes over beneficial ones.
- Indigenous groups reliant on local food sources are particularly affected.
- Mechanisms Identified:
- Higher temperatures, CO₂, and drought reduce microbial diversity via changes in soil and water systems.
- This impacts host metabolism, glucose regulation, and immune health.
- Gut-brain axis disruptions are linked to neurological issues like autism and anxiety.
- Recent Research:
- Studies from Lancet Planetary Health and Dialogues in Health connect gut imbalances to food insecurity and climate exposure.
- Research from IIT Gandhinagar and AIIMS highlights effects on metabolic pathways and microbial genomes.
- Call for Action:
- Multidisciplinary efforts are needed, integrating genomics, nutrition, climate science, and computational biology.
- India’s GutRbp database is mapping microbiota profiles for future diagnostics and therapies.
Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved
- Gut Microbiota: Microorganisms in the digestive tract essential for digestion, immunity, and neurological functions.
- Dysbiosis: An imbalance in gut microbial communities leading to disease.
- Metagenomics: The study of genetic material from environmental samples to analyze microbial diversity and function.
- Gut-Brain Axis: A bidirectional communication system between gut microbiota and the brain, influencing behavior and cognition.
Significance
- Reveals a new climate-health connection beyond traditional disease vectors.
- Links environmental degradation to non-communicable diseases and mental health issues.
- Calls for nutrition-sensitive climate policies and microbiome-informed healthcare strategies.