Summary
This randomised controlled trial, conducted in Finnish daycare settings, investigated whether increasing children's contact with biodiverse environmental materials could beneficially alter their microbiome and immune development. Children in the intervention group were exposed to forest floor materials and plants, and the study found evidence of shifts in skin and gut microbiota alongside immunological changes consistent with enhanced immune regulation. The findings contribute to the 'biodiversity hypothesis', suggesting that reduced contact with environmental microbial diversity may underlie rising rates of immune-mediated conditions in urbanised populations.
UK applicability
Although conducted in Finland, the findings are broadly applicable to UK public health and urban planning contexts, particularly given similar trends of biodiversity loss, urbanisation, and rising allergic and autoimmune conditions in children across the UK. The study supports policy interest in green space access and nature-based interventions for early childhood health.
Key measures
Gut and skin microbiome diversity indices; immune biomarkers including regulatory T cells (Tregs) and cytokine concentrations; relative abundance of key microbial taxa
Outcomes reported
The study measured changes in children's microbiome composition (gut and skin) following exposure to biodiverse natural materials, alongside immune markers such as regulatory T cells and cytokine profiles.
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