Impact of a very low-energy diet on the fecal microbiota of obese individuals
Abstract
Purpose Study how the dietary intake affects the fecal microbiota of a group of obese individuals after a 6-week very low-energy diet (VLED) and thereafter during a follow-up period of 5, 8, and 12 months. Additionally, we compared two different methods, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and real-time PCR (qPCR), for the quantification of fecal samples.Methods Sixteen subjects participated in a 12-month dietary intervention which consisted of a VLED high in protein and low in carbohydrates followed by a personalized diet plan, combined with exercise and lifestyle counseling. Fecal samples were analyzed using qPCR, FISH, and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis.Results The VLED affected the fecal microbiota, in particular bifidobacteria that decreased approximately two logs compared with the baseline numbers. The change in numbers of the bacterial groups studied followed the dietary intake and not the weight variations during the 12-month intervention. Methanogens were detected in 56% of the participants at every sampling point, regardless of the dietary intake. Moreover, although absolute numbers of comparable bacterial groups were similar between FISH and qPCR measurements, relative proportions were higher according to FISH results.Conclusions Changes in the fecal microbial numbers of obese individuals were primarily affected by the dietary intake rather than weight changes.
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Some dietary intervention studies associated weight loss with reduced abundance of short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria.
“Some dietary intervention studies, paradoxically, associated weight loss with reduced abundance of SCFA-producing bacteria.84, 90–93”
From Influence of the Gut Microbiome, Diet, and Environment on Risk of Colorectal Cancer (2020) · cites this paper as [91]
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- Authors
- Simões, C. D., Maukonen, J., Scott, K. P., Virtanen, K. A., Pietiläinen, K. H., & Saarela, M.
- Affiliations
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland (FI)
- University of Aberdeen (GB)
- Turku University Hospital (FI)
- University of Helsinki (FI)
- Corresponding author
- Simões, C. D.
- Venue
- European Journal of Nutrition
- Published
- 2013-12-31
- Volume
- 53
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1421-1429
- ISSN
- 1436-6207 (ISSN-L)
- 1436-6215
- OpenAlex
- W2078884805
- Cited by
- 39
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 3
- FWCI
- 1.34
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- European Journal of Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Novo Nordisk Fonden (#NNF10OC1013354)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Probiotics and Fermented Foods
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
- Keywords
- very low calorie diet, fecal microbiota, obesity, Bifidobacterium, methanogenic archaea, high-protein low-carbohydrate diet, dietary intervention, weight loss, fluorescence in situ hybridization, real-time PCR quantification
- MeSH terms
- Body Weight, Energy Intake, DNA, Bacterial, Feces, Feeding Behavior, Female, Finland, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Life Style, Male, Obesity, RNA, Ribosomal, 16S, Colony Count, Microbial, Exercise, Body Mass Index, In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence, Caloric Restriction, White People, Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis, Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction, Microbiota
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