Open AccessChanges in Intestinal Microflora in Obesity: Cause or Consequence?
Author(s) -
Bäckhed Fredrik
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.206
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1536-4801
pISSN - 0277-2116
DOI - 10.1097/mpg.0b013e3181a11851
Subject(s) - obesity , medicine , gut flora , metabolic syndrome , diabetes mellitus , bacteroidetes , bioinformatics , endocrinology , immunology , biology , bacteria , genetics , 16s ribosomal rna
Obesity and the associated metabolic disorders, such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome, have become major public health issues worldwide. Obesity results from a positive energy balance and is associated with decreased microbial diversity in the human gut with lower levels of Bacteroidetes. However, whether changes in the gut microbiota are a cause or consequence in obesity remains to be definitively proven. Experiments using germ‐free mice have begun to reveal some mechanisms by which the gut microbiota may affect the development of obesity.