The role of the gut microbiota on the metabolic status of obese children

Abstract

Background The term “metabolically healthy obese (MHO)” denotes a hale and salutary status, yet this connotation has not been validated in children, and may, in fact, be a misnomer. As pertains to obesity, the gut microbiota has garnered attention as conceivably a nosogenic or, on the other hand, protective participator. Objective This study explored the characteristics of the fecal microbiota of obese Chinese children and adolescents of disparate metabolic statuses, and the associations between their gut microbiota and circulating proinflammatory factors, such as IL-6, TNF-α, lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP), and a cytokine up-regulator and mediator, leptin. Results Based on weight and metabolic status, the 86 Chinese children (ages 5–15 years) were divided into three groups: metabolically healthy obese (MHO, n = 42), metabolic unhealthy obese (MUO, n = 23), and healthy normal weight controls (Con, n = 21). In the MUO subjects, the phylum Tenericutes, as well as the alpha and beta diversity, were significantly reduced compared with the controls. Furthermore, Phylum Synergistetes and genus Bacteroides were more prevalent in the MHO population compared with controls. For the MHO group, Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed that serum IL-6 positively correlated with genus Paraprevotella, LBP was positively correlated with genus Roseburia and Faecalibacterium, and negatively correlated with genus Lactobacillus, and leptin correlated positively with genus Phascolarctobacterium and negatively with genus Dialister (all p < 0.05). Conclusion Although there are distinct differences in the characteristic gut microbiota of the MUO population versus MHO, dysbiosis of gut microsystem is already extant in the MHO cohort. The abundance of some metabolism-related bacteria associates with the degree of circulating inflammatory compounds, suggesting that dysbiosis of gut microbiota, present in the MHO children, conceivably serves as a compensatory or remedial response to a surfeit of nutrients.

Gut dsDNA virome shows diversity and richness alterations associated with childhood obesity and metabolic syndrome

“…In this regard, recent studies suggest that the microbiota from metabolically healthy individuals with O could transition to OMS ( Yuan et al., 2021 ), and a metatranscriptome and 16S profiling demonstrated significant differences between O and metabolic syndrome ( Gallardo-Becerra et al., 2020 ). The abundance of some metabolism-related bacteria was associated with circulating inflammatory compounds in individuals with O without metabolic syndrome, suggesting that gut microbiota changes in metabolically healthy children with O conceivably serve as a compensatory response to a surfeit of nutrients ( Yuan et al., 2021 ). The 19 phage contigs that were only over-abundant in the OMS group may be further studied as biomarkers linked to the development of metabolic syndrome in children with O.…”

Composition of Human Breast Milk Microbiota and Its Role in Children’s Health

“…Dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota is also associated with the onset of obesity in childhood and is characterized by alterations in gut microbiota diversity, with a relative abundance of certain microbial genera. The metabolites generated by microbes translocated from a disrupted intestinal barrier can influence several organs, contributing to systemic metabolic inflammation [ 45 ]. Therefore, both neonatal pathologies, such as NEC, and chronic diseases with a later onset in childhood, such as asthma and obesity, are clinical manifestations of an early dysbiosis of microbiota [ 9 ] ( Fig.…”

Fecal microbiota relationships with childhood obesity: A scoping comprehensive review

“…Indeed, they can affect overall energy balance, influencing adiposity, weight gain, and the onset development of obesity. 14 Thus, there is evidence for an influence of intestinal microbiota on body metabolism in infants with obesity, 15 where increased levels of fecal butyrate may be involved as well as inflammatory phenomena. 16,17 In fact, there are some probiotics that supplies butyrate and administered orally might be key in childhood obesity.…”