UPSC Prelims 2019 CSAT Paper II · Q63 of 79 Comprehension medium

Passage

Passage – 2 In a study, scientists compared the microbiomes of poorly nourished and well nourished infants and young children. Gut microbes were isolated from faecal samples of malnourished and healthy children. The microbiome was “immature” and less diverse in malnourished children compared to the better developed “mature” microbiome found in healthy children of the same age. According to some studies, the chemical composition of mother's milk has shown the presence of a modified sugar (sialylated oligosaccharides). This is not utilized by the baby for its own nutrition. However, the bacteria constituting the infant's microbiome thrive on this sugar which serves as their food. Malnourished mothers have low levels of this sugar in their milk. Consequently, the microbiomes of their infants fail to mature. That in turn, leads to malnourished babies.

Which one of the following is the most logical, rational and crucial inference that can be derived from the above passage ?

  1. (a) If malnourished condition in children is caused by gut bacteria, it cannot be treated.
  2. (b) The guts of malnourished babies should be inoculated with mature microbiomes.
  3. (c) Babies of malnourished mothers should be fed with dairy milk fortified with sialylated oligosaccharides instead of mother's milk.
  4. (d) Research on benign effects of gut bacteria on nutrition has policy implications. ✓ UPSC's answer

Why the answer is (d)

• The passage establishes a causal link: malnourished mothers produce milk with low sialylated oligosaccharides, leading to immature infant microbiomes, which in turn causes malnutrition in babies.

• This demonstrates that gut bacteria play a crucial role in infant nutrition and health, specifically through the consumption of specific sugars in breast milk.

• Option (d) correctly infers that understanding this biological mechanism (the benign/nutritional role of gut bacteria) has significant implications for public health policy, such as maternal nutrition programs.

• The other options propose specific medical interventions or make absolute claims that are not supported by the text's focus on the biological mechanism and its broader significance.

Why the other options are wrong

(a) If malnourished condition in children is caused by gut bacteria, it cannot be treated.
The passage does not state that malnutrition caused by gut bacteria is untreatable; it only explains the mechanism of how malnutrition perpetuates itself.
(b) The guts of malnourished babies should be inoculated with mature microbiomes.
The passage does not suggest that inoculating guts with mature microbiomes is a solution; it focuses on the role of maternal milk composition in microbiome development.
(c) Babies of malnourished mothers should be fed with dairy milk fortified with sialylated…
The passage does not recommend replacing mother's milk with fortified dairy milk; it highlights the importance of the specific sugar in mother's milk for microbiome maturation.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2019, held on 2 June 2019. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

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