Profiling the faecal microbiome and its modulators across the lifespan in the Netherlands

Defining what constitutes a healthy microbiome throughout our lives remains an ongoing challenge. Understanding to which extent host and environmental factors can influence it has been the primary motivation for large population studies worldwide. Here, we describe the faecal microbiome of 3,746 individuals (0 – 87 years) in a nation-wide study in the Netherlands, in association with extensive questionnaires. We validate previous findings such as infant-adult trajectories, and explore the collective impact of our variables, which explain over 40% of the variation in microbiome composition. We identify novel associations with less explored factors, particularly those ethnic-related, which show the largest impact on the adult microbiome composition, diversity, metabolic profiles and CAZy (carbohydrate-active enzymes) repertoires. Understanding sources of microbiome variability is crucial given its potential as a modifiable target with therapeutic possibilities. With this work we aim to serve as a foundational element for the design of health interventions and fundamental research.