France 2026: knowledge and behaviors about microbiota
The survey was conducted by Ipsos among 7,500 people in 11 countries (France, Portugal, Poland, Finland, Italy, Germany, United States, Mexico, Brazil China, and Vietnam).
France and microbiota: awareness is increasing , but understanding is stalling and education by HCPs is on a downward trend.
Summarizing France's results in the survey
France confirms its position as the European country with the highest microbiota awareness: 86% have heard of the term (up 5 points since 2023). But behind this headline figure, the picture is more concerning: precise understanding has not progressed, HCP-transmitted information has fallen sharply, and behavioral change has dropped to 38% (15 points below the global average). France knows the word. It is struggling to go further.
1. French high awareness of microbiota masks stagnating and superficial knowledge of it
France leads Europe on microbiota awareness: 86% of respondents have heard the term, well above the global average of 72%. But this headline figure conceals a more nuanced reality: awareness has stabilized rather than deepened, and understanding of the microbiota remains largely surface-level.
of French people have already heard of the term microbiota
(stable vs. 2025)
1 in 3 of them know exactly what the microbiota is
(vs. 24% globally)
have heard of all 7 specific microbiotas
(vs. 32% globally)
A gut-dominated awareness
In France, the gut microbiota dominates public awareness far more than in other countries. While 74% of respondents have heard of the gut microbiota (vs. 63% globally), awareness of other types lags significantly and has not improved meaningfully year-on-year.
- 51% are aware of the vaginal microbiota, on par with the world average;
- Similarly, 51% know the term oral microbiota (vs. 52% globally);
- About 42% claimed to know the skin microbiota (vs. 50% globally);
- Only 6% know precisely all 7 microbiotas (vs. 7% globally).
Moreover, the French were less likely to make the link between health problems and the microbiota (57% made the connection vs. 68% overall).
Learn all about microbiota
Find out more!Where knowledge holds and where it falls short
French respondents score 5.2/9 on average for specific knowledge questions, slightly below the global average of 5.4. Knowledge is solid on broad concepts but falters on the specifics that matter most:
- About 2 in 3 know that antibiotics have an impact on the microbiota (vs. 71% globally);
- But half don't know the microbiota is not located exclusively in the gut, and this gap is not improving;
- Only 18% were aware of the role microbiota can play in respiratory allergies (vs. 23% globally).
- And 39% did not know about the cancer therapy-microbiota link (new item in 2026).
2. Fewer French people have altered their behavior to promote a balanced microbiota despite their awareness
About 1 in 3 of French respondents have changed their behaviors to protect their microbiota (down 10 points compared to 2024, and 15 points below the global average of 53%). France ranks among the lowest-performing countries in the study on this indicator. The decline is particularly striking given that awareness has remained high: knowing the word is clearly not enough to drive action.
of French respondents have changed behaviors to protect their microbiota
(vs. 53% globally)
less than half consider their gut microbiota well balance
(vs. 59% globally)
Where French habits are strong
Despite the overall behavioral gap, French respondents perform well on several traditional health habits:
The majority of French people say they engage in physical activity at least weekly (71%, +3 points vs. 2025) and don't drink alcohol frequently or never do (83% vs. 85% globally).
They also report limiting red meat consumption (72% vs. 63% overall) and consuming multiple fruits and vegetables daily (43% vs. 40% globally).
Where French habits fall short
Some microbiota-specific habits remain significantly underdeveloped:
Only half of the French say they consume fermented foods regularly (56% vs. 67% globally), but the same amount eat ultra-processed food at least monthly (57% vs. 66% overall).
About 1 in 5 of the French surveyed said they consume probiotics at least monthly (vs. 42% globally), and only 16% consume prebiotics at least monthly (vs. 38% globally).
What is the difference between prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics?
Learn more
3. Healthcare professionals are highly trusted, but provide less information than before on the microbiota
In France, the trust in healthcare professionals is near-universal: 95% of respondents, including 99% of those aged 60 and over, cite HCPs among their most trusted sources of microbiota information. Four in five say they would first turn to an HCP. Yet the information these same patients actually receive is declining year after year.
of French people trust HCPs as their primary source on microbiota information
(vs. 79% globally)
only 1 in 5 received all key microbiota information from their HCP
(vs. 33% globally)
of them received all key information several times
(-2 points vs. 2025)
The information gap is widening
The decline in HCP-transmitted microbiota education in France is not a new trend, it is an accelerating one. All three measures of information quality have fallen significantly in 2026:
Less than 1 in 3 French of respondents were educated on the importance of preserving microbiota balance (30%, -7 points vs. 2025). The same 30% received guidance on behaviors to adopt (-6 points vs. 2025). Finally, only 1 in 5 received an explanation of what the microbiota is and what it does (26%, -8 points vs. 2025).
HCP communication is also skewed by age: younger patients (under 35) receive more microbiota information than older ones. Among respondents aged 60 and over, only 18% received an explanation of what the microbiota is, although this is precisely the age group most likely to trust their doctor and least likely to seek information elsewhere.
Probiotic prescriptions and antibiotic education are both low
France is one of the weakest-performing European countries on both probiotic prescriptions and antibiotic-related microbiota education:
- Only 28% of respondents were prescribed probiotics or prebiotics
(-4 points vs. 2025, 51% overall); - 17% received all key microbiota information when antibiotics were prescribed (vs. 25% globally);
- About 1 in 5 were co-prescribed probiotics with antibiotics
(vs. 38% globally).
Family physicians (67%) and pharmacists (30%) are the main microbiota educators in France.
The information gap widens: HCP communication is on a downward trend. Year after year, fewer French patients receive microbiota education from their healthcare professionals. The channel that is most trusted is also the one that is progressively less activated.
Antibiotics: what impact on the microbiota and on our health?
Learn more
4. The first 1,000 days: a concept still largely unknown among French parents
The first 1,000 days focus reveals one of the most striking gaps in France. While 37% of French parents and pregnant women have heard of the concept (below the global average of 43%), only 18% know exactly what it means. And when it comes to actual knowledge of what influences a baby’s microbiota, French parents only got 1.4 out of 5 questions right in the survey, the lowest or among the lowest scores in the study.
of French parents/pregnant women are aware of the first 1,000 days concept
(vs. 43% globally)
of them claimed to know exactly what it means
(vs. 15% globally)
1 in 5 said to have received information
on early microbiota development by an HCP
(vs. 39% globally)
Significant misconceptions among French parents
French parents show specific and significant gaps in their knowledge of early-life microbiota development:
- 9% of parents knew that the baby's microbiota does not start developing inside the mother's womb, one of the lowest rates in the study;
- 81% don't know that by age 5 the gut microbiota is not yet adult-like;
- 54% don't know the impact of early antibiotic use on infant gut microbiota development, a rate notably higher than the global average of 35%;
- Only 1 in 3 know that pet exposure during early life influences the gut microbiota.
Gut microbiota: our immune system’s best friend
Learn morePediatric HCP education is very limited
French pediatricians provide microbiota education to parents at rates far below global averages. The gap between clinical prescription and patient education is particularly visible here:
- 38% of French respondents were educated on the role of breastfeeding for the child's microbiota (vs. 62% globally);
- 37% received information on the importance of preserving the child's microbiota balance (vs. 57% globally);
- 31% were educated on the antibiotic-newborn microbiota link (vs. 55% globally);
- Only 20% received information on microbiota development in the first 1,000 days (vs. 39% globally).
Methodology
This fourth edition of the International Microbiota Observatory was conducted by Ipsos among 7,500 individuals in 11 countries (France, Portugal, Poland, Finland, Italy, Germany, USA, Brazil, Mexico, China, Vietnam), between February 3rd and March 13th, 2026. Samples are representative of the population aged 18 and over, via quota sampling (gender, age, region, socio-professional category). Statistical significance is calculated at a 95% confidence level. The survey lasted ten minutes.
The questionnaire covered: microbiota awareness and knowledge; information received from HCPs; behaviors; women's knowledge of the vaginal microbiota; parental knowledge of the first 1,000 days; and health data.
