Modifying the bacterial profile of the gut could help to alter
our risk becoming obese, according to new research in rats. The
findings – presented as part of the scientific program of the
American Society for Nutrition (ASN) – reveal that shifting the
make-up of the intestinal microbiota in rats can lead to changes
in dietary habits and may ultimately affect our risk of obesity.
Speaking at the ASN, lead researcher Dr Mihai Covasa from the
French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) noted
that obese people tend to have gut microbe profiles than lean
individuals. The research team suggested that some bacteria that
are commonly found in obese individuals could metabolise food
differently – in a way that allows the individuals to harvest
more energy, and to deposit this energy as fat. “After eight
weeks of high-fat feeding, we found that obesity-prone germ-free
animals gained more weight, and had increased adiposity and 2
hour food intake compared to obesity-resistant germ-free,”
explained the re