Food that boosts gut microbes could be a new way to help malnourished kids

Malnourished children fed the new food did better than those who got traditional supplements

mother in Bangladesh feeding malnourished child

A mother in Dhaka, Bangladesh, feeds her malnourished child a new type of food supplement designed to boost health by nourishing the microbiome.

Ishita Mostafa

In the densely populated slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh, children survive on rice cooked with curry powder and cheap cookies and chips, packaged in appealing, colorful wrappers.