Bacteria found to contribute to obesity in children
The composition of the gut microbiota in children at the age of 3.5 years may influence further changes in their weight. The ratio of bacterioides to Firmicutes has a significant impact.
Researchers from the University of Paris Cité and the Sorbonne University Paris-Nord assessed the influence of the composition of the microbiota on the development of obesity in children. The results of the study, presented during the annual European Congress on Obesity ECO2023, were published by Medscape.
The intestinal microbiota, including composition and diversity of microorganisms, in 3.5-year-old children was found to be associated with changes in body mass index (BMI) between the ages of two and five. Some types of bacteria were found to contribute to a rapid increase in BMI, while other bacteria slowed its increase.
Researchers found a direct correlation between the ratio of bacterioides to Firmicutes in the feces and an increase in BMI at age five. The more bacterioids and fewer fermicutes there are in the gut microbiota, the slimmer the person is.
In addition, the more Eubacterium hallii, Eubacterium ventriosum, and Fusicatenibacter in the gut microbiota, the higher the increase in BMI. In contrast, the abundance of Eggerthella, Colidextribacter and Ruminococcaceae CAG-352 was associated with slower weight gain.
More than 500 children participated in the study. Stool samples were collected from all participants, the genetic profile of the gut microbiota was determined, and then its relationship with changes in BMI was tracked at the ages of 3.5 and 5 years.
According to the authors, an imbalance in certain types of bacteria plays an important role in the development of obesity. The microbiota changes seen in obese adults occur as early as childhood, from which it can be concluded that it is a cause rather than a consequence of obesity, the scientists said. They stressed that the microbiota changes appear before the signs of obesity and metabolic complications.
The findings point to the need for further research to better understand the influence of specific bacterial species on obesity risk and to determine the optimal time to intervene in the microbiota to prevent obesity in children.