title: Can We Prevent Obesity-Related Metabolic Diseases by Dietary Modulation of the Gut Microbiota?
abstract: Obesity increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers, which are among the leading causes of death worldwide. Obesity and obesity-related metabolic diseases are characterized by specific alterations in the human gut microbiota. Experimental studies with gut microbiota transplantations in mice and in humans indicate that a specific gut microbiota composition can be the cause and not just the consequence of the obese state and metabolic disease, which suggests a potential for gut microbiota modulation in prevention and treatment of obesity-related metabolic diseases. In addition, dietary intervention studies have suggested that modulation of the gut microbiota can improve metabolic risk markers in humans, but a causal role of the gut microbiota in such studies has not yet been established. Here, we review and discuss the role of the gut microbiota in obesity-related metabolic diseases and the potential of dietary modulation of the gut microbiota in metabolic disease prevention and treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark lekila@nexs.ku.dk.
authors.forename: Lena K
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2062-5203
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Brahe
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Arne
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8968-8996
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Astrup
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Lesli H
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8827-7992
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Larsen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D056692:Prebiotics
chemical_list: D056692:Prebiotics
keywords: diet; gut microbiota; obesity-related diseases; prebiotics; probiotics