A group of contestants are going up against one another and their own bodies as part of a “community movement towards better health”.

Participants include artists, athletes, a cancer patient in the midst of chemotherapy and people curious to learn if their health complaints can be traced to subtle forces at work in their digestive tract.

The campaign, dubbed Gut2Know, got under way on Tuesday night to study each person’s internal colonies of bacteria and other microscopic organisms.

The unique community, known as the gut biomeme, has been revealed to come with profound implications towards the overall health of the body.

The #WeGut2Know National Health Challenge is on offer from the genetic research firm CariGenetics, led by Carika Weldon.

A string of other health firms is sponsoring the friendly competition, aimed at boosting research on intestinal microbes — which include viruses and fungi.

The teeming community within each person’s gut affects their weight and metabolism as well as heart health and even the immune system.

The study will bring together a team of 20 contenders to be tracked over three months, using the CariGenetics Gut2Know health-analysis kit.

The contestant whose gut health improves the most within three months will win $2,500 in cash.

Dr Weldon said the health challenge had sparked high interest since its launch two weeks ago, with 105 people putting themselves forward over a ten-day period.

“We had no idea how many people would sign up. It was very much an experiment.

“We see this as not just a competition, but a very inventive way to get people excited about their health and to actually have a lifestyle change.”

Five contenders already rose to the challenge, pledging to donate their prize to charity if they win: Dr Weldon for Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Bermuda, Nadanja Bailey for the Women’s Resource Centre, Gavin Manders for the Port Royal Primary School PTA, Caitlin Conyers for Family Centre, and Shawn “Mr Fotogenik” Simmons for the Dalton E. Tucker PTA.

A further 15 are now ready to work with a nutritionist team to get a personalised meal plan.

The test involves a non-invasive collection of a stool sample using the analysis kit, to be sent off to the French firm Nahibu microbiomeme profiling.

The challenge concludes with another test to check how much healthier the biomeme has become through lifestyle change.

Dr Weldon told the gathering: “Ultimately we are seeing who improves the most. So you’re actually technically competing against yourself.”

She said she hoped for interest to spread in Bermuda, but the challenge is headed also for a Caribbean launch next, starting with Trinidad and Tobago.

The other participants in the challenge are Barbara Ann Paynter, Patrice Madeiros, Don Desilva, Shannon Adderley, Robbie Bailey, Scott Raymond, Angeline Butler, Jill Raine, Miranda Lister, Rayven Walker, Kiante Francis, Lisa Froud, Dionne Powell, Judith Motyer and Ashley Isaac.