Differences in gut microbiota composition between obese and lean children: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background The composition of gut microbiota, and in particular the intestinal abundance of the two main bacterial phyla of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, are associated with human health and diseases and may be conditioned by host and environmental factors such as age, gender and diet. The role of Physical Activity (PA) in determining gut microbiota composition has not been yet completely clarified. A cross-sectional study involving undergraduates from two Italian cities is ongoing to explore this relationship. Methods Students were invited to provide a fecal sample and to complete the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) in order to define their habitual PA level (inactive, minimally active, health enhancing physical activity -HEPA- active). Demographic and anthropometric information were also collected. DNA from fecal samples was analyzed through the 16S amplicon sequencing. Microbial composition and variability of the samples were evaluated on the light of participants' PA levels. Results A total of 153 students (47.7% males, mean age 22.4±2.9, mean BMI 22.3±2.7) participated to the study so far. Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the main represented phyla. An increase in Firmicutes (58.3±16 to 61.4±13.3, p = 0.68) and a reduction in Bacteroidetes (32.6±14.8 to 30.3±11.4, p = 0.51) have been registered with the increase of PA level. A higher variability (expressed as Shannon α-index) has been detected in minimally active (3.39±0.03) and HEPA-active (3.41±0) individuals respect to inactive subjects (3.35±0.07) (p = 0.05). Conclusions Even if they are not significant, these preliminary results suggest a relationship between PA levels and gut microbiota composition. An active lifestyle seems to be associated with a greater microbial diversity in the gut. Further researches are needed to explain these findings. Key messages Physical activity seems to be associated with gut microbiota composition. A greater variability in gut microbiota was found in active people.

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Age-related changes in gut microbiota composition from newborn to centenarian: a cross-sectional study

BMC Microbiology ◽

10.1186/s12866-016-0708-5 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 370

Author(s):

Toshitaka Odamaki ◽

Kumiko Kato ◽

Hirosuke Sugahara ◽

Nanami Hashikura ◽

Sachiko Takahashi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Microbiota Composition ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Age Related ◽

Gut Microbiota Composition ◽

Age Related Changes

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Gut Microbiota Profile and Its Association with Clinical Variables and Dietary Intake in Overweight/Obese and Lean Subjects: A Cross-Sectional Study

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13062032 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 2032

Author(s):

Judit Companys ◽

Maria José Gosalbes ◽

Laura Pla-Pagà ◽

Lorena Calderón-Pérez ◽

Elisabet Llauradó ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Dietary Intake ◽

Saturated Fatty Acids ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Anthropometric Parameters ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Negatively Associated ◽

Clinical Variables ◽

Obese Subjects

We aimed to differentiate gut microbiota composition of overweight/obese and lean subjects and to determine its association with clinical variables and dietary intake. A cross-sectional study was performed with 96 overweight/obese subjects and 32 lean subjects. Anthropometric parameters were positively associated with Collinsella aerofaciens, Dorea formicigenerans and Dorea longicatena, which had higher abundance the overweight/obese subjects. Moreover, different genera of Lachnospiraceae were negatively associated with body fat, LDL and total cholesterol. Saturated fatty acids (SFAs) were negatively associated with the genus Intestinimonas, a biomarker of the overweight/obese group, whereas SFAs were positively associated with Roseburia, a biomarker for the lean group. In conclusion, Dorea formicigenerans, Dorea longicatena and Collinsella aerofaciens could be considered obesity biomarkers, Lachnospiraceae is associated with lipid cardiovascular risk factors. SFAs exhibited opposite association profiles with butyrate-producing bacteria depending on the BMI. Thus, the relationship between diet and microbiota opens new tools for the management of obesity.

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Sex differences in the phylum‐level human gut microbiota composition

BMC Microbiology ◽

10.1186/s12866-021-02198-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Alexander Koliada ◽

Vladislav Moseiko ◽

Mariana Romanenko ◽

Oleh Lushchak ◽

Nadiia Kryzhanovska ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sex Differences ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Age Groups ◽

Microbiota Composition ◽

Human Gut ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Total N ◽

Human Gut Microbiota ◽

Gut Microbiota Composition

Abstract Background Evidence was previously provided for sex-related differences in the human gut microbiota composition, and sex-specific discrepancy in hormonal profiles was proposed as a main determinant of these differences. On the basis of these findings, the assumption was made on the role of microbiota in the sexual dimorphism of human diseases. To date, sex differences in fecal microbiota were demonstrated primarily at lower taxonomic levels, whereas phylum-level differences between sexes were reported in few studies only. In the present population-based cross-sectional research, sex differences in the phylum-level human gut microbiota composition were identified in a large (total n = 2301) sample of relatively healthy individuals from Ukraine. Results Relative abundances of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, as determined by qRT-PCR, were found to be significantly increased, while that of Bacteroidetes was significantly decreased in females compared to males. The Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio was significantly increased in females compared to males. Females had 31 % higher odds of having F/B ratio more than 1 than males. This trend was evident in all age groups. The difference between sexes was even more pronounced in the elder individuals (50+): in this age group, female participants had 56 % higher odds of having F/B ratio > 1 than the male ones. Conclusions In conclusion, sex-specific differences in the phylum-level intestinal microbiota composition were observed in the Ukraine population. The F/B ratio was significantly increased in females compared to males. Further investigation is needed to draw strong conclusions regarding the mechanistic basis for sex-specific differences in the gut microbiota composition and regarding the role of these differences in the initiation and progression of human chronic diseases.

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The associations of gut microbiota and fecal short-chain fatty acids with bone mass were largely mediated by weight status: a cross-sectional study

European Journal of Nutrition ◽

10.1007/s00394-021-02597-x ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Fengyan Chen ◽

Qinzhi Wei ◽

Dafeng Xu ◽

Yuanhuan Wei ◽

Jue Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Bone Mass ◽

Weight Status ◽

Short Chain Fatty Acids ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Short Chain ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Chain Fatty Acids

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Gut microbiota in patients with newly diagnosed acromegaly: a pilot cross-sectional study

Pituitary ◽

10.1007/s11102-021-01137-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Aysa Hacioglu ◽

◽

Aycan Gundogdu ◽

Ufuk Nalbantoglu ◽

Zuleyha Karaca ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Newly Diagnosed ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional

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Association of faecal pH with childhood stunting: Results from a cross-sectional study

BMJ Paediatrics Open ◽

10.1136/bmjpo-2019-000549 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. e000549 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Md. Shabab Hossain ◽

Subhasish Das ◽

Md. Amran Gazi ◽

Md. Ashraful Alam ◽

Nur Muhammad Shahedul Haque ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Linear Growth ◽

Pearson Correlation ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Inverse Association ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Faecal Ph ◽

Childhood Stunting

BackgroundGut microbiota plays an important role in the growth of children. The gut of children with optimum growth is enriched in certain species, especially Bifidobacteria and Clostridia. Bifidobacteria and commensal Clostridia both contribute to formation of acidic stool, and an elevated faecal pH indicates reduction of these species in the gut. The purpose of the study was to investigate the association of faecal pH with childhood stunting.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 100 children with length-for-age Z score (LAZ) <−1 aged between 12 and 18 months were enrolled from the ongoing Bangladesh Environmental Enteric Dysfunction study conducted in Dhaka, Bangladesh. LAZ was measured by anthropometry and data on factors affecting linear growth were recorded. Faecal pH measurement was done using pH metre on freshly collected non-diarrhoeal faecal samples following standard procedure. Multiple quantile regression was done to quantify the relation between faecal pH and LAZ scores.ResultsThe mean LAZ and faecal pH of the children were −2.12±0.80 and 5.84±1.11, respectively. Pearson correlation analysis showed a statistically significant negative correlation between stool pH and the LAZ scores (p<0.01). After inclusion of other factors affecting linear growth into the regression model, a statistically significant inverse association was observed between faecal pH and LAZ score (p<0.01).ConclusionElevated faecal pH was found to have a significant association with stunted growth. As an indicator of gut microbiota status, faecal pH might have emerged as a possible indirect determinant of childhood stunting.Trial registration numberNCT02812615

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Ketonuria Is Associated with Changes to the Abundance of Roseburia in the Gut Microbiota of Overweight and Obese Women at 16 Weeks Gestation: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu11081836 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 1836 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Helen Robinson ◽

Helen Barrett ◽

Luisa Gomez-Arango ◽

H. David McIntyre ◽

Leonie Callaway ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Clustering Analysis ◽

Alpha Diversity ◽

Microbiota Composition ◽

Obese Women ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Low Carbohydrate ◽

Rrna Sequencing ◽

Gut Microbiota Composition

The gut microbiome in pregnancy has been associated with various maternal metabolic and hormonal markers involved in glucose metabolism. Maternal ketones are of particular interest due to the rise in popularity of low-carbohydrate diets. We assessed for differences in the composition of the gut microbiota in pregnant women with and without ketonuria at 16 weeks gestation. Fecal samples were obtained from 11 women with fasting ketonuria and 11 matched controls. The samples were analyzed to assess for differences in gut microbiota composition by 16S rRNA sequencing. Supervised hierarchical clustering analysis showed significantly different beta-diversity between women with and without ketonuria, but no difference in the alpha-diversity. Group comparisons and network analysis showed that ketonuria was associated with an increased abundance of the butyrate-producing genus Roseburia. The bacteria that contributed the most to the differences in the composition of the gut microbiota included Roseburia, Methanobrevibacter, Uncl. RF39, and Dialister in women with ketonuria and Eggerthella, Phascolarctobacterium, Butyricimonas, and Uncl. Coriobacteriaceae in women without ketonuria. This study found that the genus Roseburia is more abundant in the gut microbiota of pregnant women with ketonuria. Roseburia is a butyrate producing bacterium and may increase serum ketone levels.

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Vaginal microbiota composition and association with prevalent Chlamydia trachomatis infection: a cross-sectional study of young women attending a STI clinic in France

Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽

10.1136/sextrans-2017-053346 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 94 (8) ◽

pp. 616-618 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Jeanne Tamarelle ◽

Bertille de Barbeyrac ◽

Isabelle Le Hen ◽

Anne Thiébaut ◽

Cécile Bébéar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chlamydia Trachomatis ◽

Young Women ◽

Statistical Power ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Vaginal Microbiota ◽

Molecular Techniques ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Microbiota Composition ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional

ObjectivesNew molecular techniques have allowed describing groups of bacterial communities in the vagina (community state types (CST)) that could play an important role in Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection. Our aim was to describe the distribution of CST in a population of young women in France.MethodsA cross-sectional study was carried out in June 2015 among anonymous young women attending a STI clinic in Bordeaux, France. Participants provided a vaginal sample for CT screening and sociodemographic data. CT was diagnosed using the Aptima-combo 2 transcription-mediated-amplification assay. Vaginal microbiota composition was characterised using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing.ResultsMicrobiota composition and CT status were available for 132 women. CST dominated by Lactobacillus crispatus (CST-I), L. iners (CST-III) and a diversity of anaerobes (CST-IV) represented 37.1%, 38.6% and 22.0% of the sample, respectively. Twenty-one out of 132 women were CT positive. Proportions of CT-positive women were higher for samples belonging to CST-III (21.6%) and CST-IV (17.2%) than to CST-I (8.2%).ConclusionsFive CST were found in 132 young women from a STI clinic in France. These CSTs were not significantly associated with CT but higher proportions of CT-positive women were found in CST-III and CST-IV, consistent with a previous study in the Netherlands. Though our study lacked statistical power and was cross-sectional, it is a necessary first step to understand the structure of the vaginal microbiota in French women with or without infection before performing in-depth longitudinal studies.

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