Cited by 683Gut microbiota and healthMicrobial Metabolites in Food BiotechnologyFood composition and properties

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 125 of the 132 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 31 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Dietary fiber intervention on gut microbiota composition in healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Open access

Abstract

Background Dysfunction of the gut microbiota is frequently reported as a manifestation of chronic diseases, and therefore presents as a modifiable risk factor in their development. Diet is a major regulator of the gut microbiota, and certain types of dietary fiber may modify bacterial numbers and metabolism, including short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) generation.Objective A systematic review and meta-analysis were undertaken to assess the effect of dietary fiber interventions on gut microbiota composition in healthy adults.Design A systematic search was conducted across MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and CINAHL for randomized controlled trials using culture and/or molecular microbiological techniques evaluating the effect of fiber intervention on gut microbiota composition in healthy adults. Meta-analyses via a random-effects model were performed on alpha diversity, prespecified bacterial abundances including Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus spp., and fecal SCFA concentrations comparing dietary fiber interventions with placebo/low-fiber comparators.Results A total of 64 studies involving 2099 participants were included. Dietary fiber intervention resulted in higher abundance of Bifidobacterium spp. (standardized mean difference (SMD): 0.64; 95% CI: 0.42, 0.86; P < 0.00001) and Lactobacillus spp. (SMD: 0.22; 0.03, 0.41; P = 0.02) as well as fecal butyrate concentration (SMD: 0.24; 0.00, 0.47; P = 0.05) compared with placebo/low-fiber comparators. Subgroup analysis revealed that fructans and galacto-oligosaccharides led to significantly greater abundance of both Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp. compared with comparators (P < 0.00001 and P = 0.002, respectively). No differences in effect were found between fiber intervention and comparators for α-diversity, abundances of other prespecified bacteria, or other SCFA concentrations.Conclusions Dietary fiber intervention, particularly involving fructans and galacto-oligosaccharides, leads to higher fecal abundance of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus spp. but does not affect α-diversity. Further research is required to better understand the role of individual fiber types on the growth of microbes and the overall gut microbial community. This review was registered at PROSPERO as CRD42016053101.

Overview

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Registry

Crossref · 10.1093/ajcn/nqy041

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125 of 125 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • It may state two separate claims as one. 35
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  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Dietary fiber is not digested by the host in the small intestine and reaches the colon where it is available to gut microbes.

    “It is a key candidate in facilitating changes in the gut microbiota, as it escapes digestion by the host in the small intestine to pass into the colon where it is available to the microbial community.”
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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Elmagarmid, 2014, Rayyan: a systematic reviews web app for exploring and filtering searches for eligible studies for Cochrane Reviews, Evidence-informed public health: opportunities and challenges. Abstracts of the 22nd Cochrane Colloquium
  2. Zeng, 2015, Effects of whole grain-bean mixed staple food on intestinal microecology and metabolic parameters of obese people, Chinese J Clin Nutr, 23, 27

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Metadata

Authors
So, D., Whelan, K., Rossi, M., Morrison, M., Holtmann, G., Kelly, J. T., Shanahan, E. R., Staudacher, H. M., & Campbell, K. L.
Affiliations
  • Bond University (AU)
  • King's College London (GB)
  • Translational Research Institute (AU)
  • The University of Queensland (AU)
Corresponding author
Campbell, Katrina L
Venue
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2018-06
Volume
107
Issue
6
Pages
965-983
ISSN
0002-9165 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2790004059
Cited by
683
References
132
Citations by year
2026: 61 · 2025: 92 · 2024: 88 · 2023: 98 · 2022: 100 · 2021: 114 · 2020: 75 · 2019: 43 · 2018: 12
FWCI
5.98
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Bond University Research Portal (Bond University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Own your potential (DEAKIN) (submittedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Griffith Research Online (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Microbial Metabolites in Food Biotechnology
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Food composition and properties
Keywords
dietary fiber, gut microbiota composition, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, short-chain fatty acids, butyrate, fructans, galactooligosaccharides, alpha diversity, healthy adults, dietary intervention, prebiotics, gut dysbiosis, chronic disease risk factors, fecal microbiota, bacterial abundance
MeSH terms
Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Adult, Bacteria, Dietary Fiber, Food Analysis, Humans

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