Impaired Intestinal Function Among Indigenous Shuar Children of Amazonian Ecuador: Evidence From Lactulose:Mannitol Tests of Absorption and Permeability

Intestinal function appears to be considerably impaired among school-age Shuar children living in a low-resource, rural setting. Children living in unsanitary, non-industrialized contexts may routinely experience intestinal permeability-related immune activation and malabsorption-related energy/nutrient loss. More research is needed to explore the breadth of global variation in children's intestinal function and to investigate its many evolutionary and public health implications.