The human intestinal microbiota, diet and health from infancy to old age

The composition of the dynamic infant microbiota is shaped by environmental factors that establish the basis of the microbiota of later life. They influence the composition of the stable adult microbiota and, later, the potential of the older microbiota to support health. Examining the role of the microbiota in maintaining and promoting health throughout life has been revolutionised by the relatively recent development of culture-independent methods for determining microbiota composition. Defining the composition of the human gut microbiota - from infancy to old age, provides the potential for its manipulation in the promotion and maintenance of health.