A Link Between The Gut Microbiome And Obesity

In recent years, many studies have focused on the human gut microbiome’s seeming involvement in many health issues ranging from autoimmune diseases to obesity. Each person has a unique gut microbiome composed of a variety of species. With that, the composition of one’s microbiome could potentially explain the health implications for that person. Previously, the microbiome as it relates to diet and exercise have been characterized independently of each other. This study will specifically focus on the microbiome and its link to obesity, through characterization of the combined effects of diet and exercise in human subjects.

While previous literature discusses the link between diet and exercise and diseases like depression in terms of the effects on different metabolic pathways, the relation between diet and exercise in this regard has not yet been linked to obesity. Turnbaugh et al (2006) explored metabolic regulation as it relates to energy intake from food consumed in obese versus non-obese rats. They found that the microbiome of an obese rat has a greater ability to obtain energy from food after a meal.

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These data start to examine the microbial distinction of obese versus non-obese microbiomes. In studies to follow, researchers wondered if altering the diets of human subjects could contribute to shifts in microbial makeup.

In a study conducted by David et al (2014), the link between diet and the microbiome was tested using 11 human subjects5. It was shown that the type of diet fed to human subjects, either plant based or animal based, had an effect on the colonization of their gut flora.

In the plant based diet, there was shown to be more diversity in the colonization of the human microbiome as compared to the animal based diet. The animal based diet was shown to increase the abundance of organisms in the microbiome necessary to digest high fat content. From this study, there was a clear distinction in the way that the microbiome changed and adapted based on the food being provided to the subjects.

In addition to the rapid changes seen in the gut microbiome in response to dietary changes, it was observed in separate studies that exercise can impact the microbiome. A study by Pertriz et al (2014) used a rat model to examine the effects of exercise on the microbial composition of an obese group, a non-obese group, and a hypertensive group of rats on the same exercise regimen. In each group of rats, there was an increase in bacterial diversity found in fecal samples taken. Specifically, in all conditions, the Firmicute family was seen to increase after exercise, promoting a healthy microbial environment. Ultimately, this study revealed that exercise can impact the general abundance of certain species in the gut microbiome, which can encourage gut health and living a leaner lifestyle.

As the previous studies have revealed, the microbiome is in an ever changing state where basic lifestyle choices can either positively or negatively impact one’s gut composition, and in turn, one’s overall health. In our study, we will focus on the combined effects of diet and exercise on the human microbiome over the course of six weeks, looking for a distinction of metabolic regulation between groups.

We hypothesized that moderate exercise with a balanced diet would result in an optimal balance of microbes in the gut, aiding in metabolic regulation and overall health of the participant. To test this, there were six different groups of five subjects in the following conditions: exercise with a diet of equal fat, protein, fruits, and vegetables; no exercise with a diet of equal fat, protein, fruits, and vegetables; exercise with a Western diet of heavy fats and proteins; no exercise with a Western diet of heavy fats and proteins; exercise with a high fruit and vegetable diet; and no exercise with a high fruit and vegetable diet. To properly control food intake of each participant, prepackaged meals were provided for each given condition. The exercise regimen was also controlled, with the same three-day workout plan for each of the exercise groups. Fecal samples were then collected from the participants each week and further sequenced, using 16s rRNA sequencing, followed by further analysis, to monitor microbial change and impact on rates of obesity. These data contribute to advancing the understanding of the multifaceted determinants of obesity.