Maternal and child nutrition insecurity, microbiome, and early neurodevelopment: an intricate interplay. Results from a systematic review

Apr 9, 2026European journal of public health

How Nutrition Problems in Mothers and Children Relate to Gut Microbes and Early Brain Development: A Systematic Review

AI simplified

Gut-Brain Axis on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗OA ↗

Abstract

The review includes 11 studies indicating that significantly influences composition and .

Nutrition insecurity may alter microbiota balance and contribute to gut dysbiosis.
Changes in gut microbiota are associated with delayed neurodevelopmental milestones in infants.
Breastfeeding is identified as a crucial factor for modulating infant microbiome and supporting neurodevelopment.
Maternal characteristics such as pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity may influence offspring gut colonization.
An intricate interplay exists between maternal and child nutrition insecurity, microbiota, and early neurodevelopment.

AI simplified

Emerging research suggests influences composition, which in turn affects through the gut-brain axis. This systematic review aimed to evaluate evidence on these relationships. A comprehensive search of the scientific literature was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies investigating the links between nutrition insecurity in mothers and children, microbiome, and early neurodevelopment were included. Data on maternal characteristics, microbiota composition, neurodevelopmental outcomes, and nutritional status were extracted from eligible studies. The review included 11 studies, primarily cohort studies, conducted in various countries. According to the study findings, gut maternal and infant microbiota composition in early life appear to be closely connected to early neurodevelopment both in terms of cognitive/motor skills and temperament. Nutrition insecurity has a significant influence in shaping these outcomes as it can alter microbiota balance and contribute to gut dysbiosis and delayed neurodevelopmental milestones. Breastfeeding emerges as a crucial factor in modulating the infant microbiome and supporting neurodevelopment. Also, other factors such as pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity and environment seem to influence offspring gut colonization and neurodevelopmental outcomes. This systematic review highlights the intricate interplay between maternal and child nutrition insecurity, microbiota, and early neurodevelopment. These findings underscore the critical need for targeted interventions addressing maternal and child nutrition to mitigate the adverse effects of nutrition insecurity and support optimal early-life neurodevelopment. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to explore the causal pathways and to develop nutrition-based strategies to prioritize microbiome health in vulnerable and at-risk populations.

Key numbers

9 of 11

Cohort Studies Included

Cohort studies comprised the majority of the included research.

10 of 11

Studies Reporting on Infant Neurodevelopment

Most studies investigated infant neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Full Text

We can’t show the full text here under this license. Use the link below to read it at the source.

View full text (PDF) ↗View full text ↗

Maternal and child nutrition insecurity, microbiome, and early neurodevelopment: an intricate interplay. Results from a systematic review

Abstract

Key numbers

Full Text

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the gut-brain axis brief