Effect on gut microbiota of a 1-y lifestyle intervention with Mediterranean diet compared with energy-reduced Mediterranean diet and physical activity promotion: PREDIMED-Plus Study

Abstract

Background The Mediterranean diet is a well-recognized healthy diet that has shown to induce positive changes in gut microbiota. Lifestyle changes such as diet along with physical activity could aid in weight loss and improve cardiovascular risk factors. Objectives To investigate the effect of an intensive lifestyle weight loss intervention on gut microbiota. Methods This is a substudy of the PREDIMED-Plus (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea-Plus), a randomized controlled trial conducted in overweight/obese men and women (aged 55–75 y) with metabolic syndrome. The intervention group (IG) underwent an intensive weight loss lifestyle intervention based on an energy-restricted Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and physical activity promotion, and the control group (CG) underwent a non-energy-restricted MedDiet for 1 y. Anthropometric, biochemical, and gut microbial 16S rRNA sequencing data were analyzed at baseline (n = 362) and 1-y follow-up (n = 343). Results IG participants had a weight loss of 4.2 (IQR, –6.8, –2.5) kg compared with 0.2 (IQR, –2.1, 1.4) kg in the CG (P < 0.001). Reductions in BMI, fasting glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and triglycerides and an increase in HDL cholesterol were greater in IG than in CG participants (P < 0.05). We observed a decrease in Butyricicoccus, Haemophilus, Ruminiclostridium 5, and Eubacterium hallii in the IG compared with the CG. Many genera shifted in the same direction within both intervention groups, indicating an overall effect of the MedDiet. Decreases in Haemophilus, Coprococcus 3, and few other genera were associated with a decrease in adiposity parameters in both intervention groups. Changes in Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 were positively associated with changes in MedDiet adherence. Conclusions Weight loss induced by an energy-restricted MedDiet and physical activity induce changes in gut microbiota. The role of MedDiet-induced changes on the host might be via short-chain fatty acid producing bacteria, whereas with energy restriction, these changes might be modulated with other mechanisms, which need to be explored in future studies. This trial was registered at http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN89898870 as ISRCT 89898870.

Increased physical activity improves gut microbiota composition and reduces short-chain fatty acid concentrations in older adults with insomnia

“…For more sedentary groups, the results are contradictory. We show higher abundances of Lachnoclostridium, Blautia, Barnesiella , and UCG-005 in less active individuals, opposing previous publications 46 – 48 .…”

Dietary macronutrients and the gut microbiome: a precision nutrition approach to improve cardiometabolic health

“…Interestingly, a 1-year intervention study comparing the effects of an energy-restricted Mediterranean diet with increased physical activity to an isocaloric Mediterranean diet in overweight/obese adults showed marked differences in changes of the gut microbiota composition between the groups. Nonetheless, the tendency of microbial shift was in the same direction for both diets 113. Besides dietary macronutrient intake, other bioactive compounds may also affect gut microbiome composition and activity.…”

“…Nonetheless, the tendency of microbial shift was in the same direction for both diets. 113 Besides dietary macronutrient intake, other bioactive compounds may also affect gut microbiome composition and activity. Examples are dietary polyphenols, 114 micronutrients, vitamins 115 and probiotics 116 and may contribute to the gut microbiota-host metabolism cross-talk.…”

An Infancy-Onset 20-Year Dietary Counselling Intervention and Gut Microbiota Composition in Adulthood

“…Furthermore, no other dietary interventions similar to STRIP aiming to holistically promote a heart-healthy diet from infancy have been conducted. In prior intervention and observational studies, the Mediterranean diet, characterized by a more favorable dietary fat quality and fiber intake compared to a traditional Western diet, has been suggested to increase the abundances of Prevotella, Bacteroides [34,52,53], and Lachnospiraceae, among other genera [54]. However, these observations have not been systematically evident in all studies [41].…”