Do microplastics in toddlers and preschoolers increase antibiotic resistance genes in their gut?

What's actually in it

Young children consume more microplastics per kilogram of body weight than adults. They put objects in their mouths, spend time on floors, and eat more packaged and processed foods relative to their size. These plastics accumulate in the gut.

Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest public health threats globally. Gut bacteria exchange resistance genes with each other through a process called horizontal gene transfer. Microplastics create surfaces where bacteria cluster and exchange these genes more easily.

What the research says

A 2026 multicenter study in EBioMedicine analyzed gut microbiome samples from preschool children across multiple sites in China. Children with higher microplastic concentrations in stool samples had significantly more antibiotic resistance genes in their gut bacteria.

The microplastics appeared to both select for resistant bacterial species and provide surfaces that facilitate gene transfer between bacteria. The result is a gut microbiome that is more resistant to antibiotics, which matters when a child actually needs antibiotic treatment for a serious infection.

Children who ate more fresh food and less packaged food, and whose caregivers used less plastic for food storage, had lower gut microplastic levels. Reducing plastic use in food preparation and storage for young children is a practical way to lower their gut microplastic burden.