title: High-level adherence to a Mediterranean diet beneficially impacts the gut microbiota and associated metabolome.
abstract: Habitual diet plays a major role in shaping the composition of the gut microbiota, and also determines the repertoire of microbial metabolites that can influence the host. The typical Western diet corresponds to that of an omnivore; however, the Mediterranean diet (MD), common in the Western Mediterranean culture, is to date a nutritionally recommended dietary pattern that includes high-level consumption of cereals, fruit, vegetables and legumes. To investigate the potential benefits of the MD in this cross-sectional survey, we assessed the gut microbiota and metabolome in a cohort of Italian individuals in relation to their habitual diets.
  
  
  
  We retrieved daily dietary information and assessed gut microbiota and metabolome in 153 individuals habitually following omnivore, vegetarian or vegan diets. The majority of vegan and vegetarian subjects and 30% of omnivore subjects had a high adherence to the MD. We were able to stratify individuals according to both diet type and adherence to the MD on the basis of their dietary patterns and associated microbiota. We detected significant associations between consumption of vegetable-based diets and increased levels of faecal short-chain fatty acids,Prevotellaand some fibre-degrading Firmicutes, whose role in human gut warrants further research. Conversely, we detected higher urinary trimethylamine oxide levels in individuals with lower adherence to the MD.
  
  
  
  High-level consumption of plant foodstuffs consistent with an MD is associated with beneficial microbiome-related metabolomic profiles in subjects ostensibly consuming a Western diet.
  
  
  
  This study was registered at clinical trials.gov as NCT02118857.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Sciences, Division of Microbiology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Università 100, Portici, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Filippis
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 48/A, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pellegrini
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, viale Fanin 44, Bologna, Italy.|Inter-Departmental Centre for Industrial Agri-Food Research, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Piazza Goidanich 60 Cesena, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vannini
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.|Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Ian B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Jeffery
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Sciences, Division of Microbiology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Università 100, Portici, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonietta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: La Storia
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, viale Fanin 44, Bologna, Italy.|Inter-Departmental Centre for Industrial Agri-Food Research, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Piazza Goidanich 60 Cesena, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Laghi
authors.affiliation: Inter-Departmental Centre for Industrial Agri-Food Research, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Piazza Goidanich 60 Cesena, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Diana I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Serrazanetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil, Plant and Food Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Di Cagno
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Science, University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilario
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ferrocino
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 48/A, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lazzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turroni
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Science, University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cocolin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brigidi
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 48/A, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Erasmo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Neviani
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil, Plant and Food Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gobbetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.|Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Paul W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: O'Toole
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Sciences, Division of Microbiology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Università 100, Portici, Italy.
authors.forename: Danilo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ercolini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean / Q000523:psychology*; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome / Q000502:physiology*; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008744:Methylamines / Q000652:urine; D010349:Patient Compliance; D018720:Prevotella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014675:Vegetables
chemical_list: D004043:Dietary Fiber; D005227:Fatty Acids; D008744:Methylamines; C005855:trimethyloxamine
keywords: DIET; DIETARY FIBRE; ENTERIC BACTERIAL MICROFLORA; INTESTINAL BACTERIA; SHORT CHAIN FATTY ACIDS