Gut microbiota link dietary fiber intake and short-chain fatty acid metabolism with eating behavior

Abstract

The gut microbiome has been speculated to modulate feeding behavior through multiple factors, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). Evidence on this relationship in humans is however lacking. We aimed to explore if specific bacterial genera relate to eating behavior, diet, and SCFA in adults. Moreover, we tested whether eating-related microbiota relate to treatment success in patients after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Anthropometrics, dietary fiber intake, eating behavior, 16S-rRNA-derived microbiota, and fecal and serum SCFA were correlated in young overweight adults (n = 27 (9 F), 21–36 years, BMI 25–31 kg/m2). Correlated genera were compared in RYGB (n = 23 (16 F), 41–70 years, BMI 25–62 kg/m2) and control patients (n = 17 (11 F), 26–69 years, BMI 25–48 kg/m2). In young adults, 7 bacteria genera, i.e., Alistipes, Blautia, Clostridiales cluster XVIII, Gemmiger, Roseburia, Ruminococcus, and Streptococcus, correlated with healthier eating behavior, while 5 genera, i.e., Clostridiales cluster IV and XIVb, Collinsella, Fusicatenibacter, and Parabacteroides, correlated with unhealthier eating (all | r | > 0.4, FDR-corrected p < 0.05). Some of these genera including Parabacteroides related to fiber intake and SCFA, and to weight status and treatment response in overweight/obese patients. In this exploratory analysis, specific bacterial genera, particularly Parabacteroides, were associated with weight status and eating behavior in two small, independent and well-characterized cross-sectional samples. These preliminary findings suggest two groups of presumably beneficial and unfavorable genera that relate to eating behavior and weight status, and indicate that dietary fiber and SCFA metabolism may modify these relationships. Larger interventional studies are needed to distinguish correlation from causation.

Metabolic Profile and Metabolite Analyses in Extreme Weight Responders to Gastric Bypass Surgery

“…Two subjects of the bad responder group reported binge eating compared to one in the good responder group. As previously reported [ 34 ], bad responders in our analysis did show higher scores in all four subscales (restraint, eating concern, shape concern and weight concern) of the EDE-questionnaire. While this has been associated with poorer weight loss after bariatric surgery before [ 38 ], the higher scoring could also be attributed to higher BMI itself in the poor responder group [ 45 ].…”

“…As we previously described [ 34 ], bad responders showed higher eating restraint scores as well as eating, weight and shape concerns, whereas self-reported sugar and fat intake was similar ( Table 1 ). The vast majority of patients in both groups reported reduced food intake after bariatric surgery, which were 10 patients (91%) in the good and 10 patients (83%) in the bad responder group.…”

“…Pre-surgery clinical data were collected from the IFB Adiposity database and medical reports. See [ 34 ] for further descriptions of the study cohort.…”

“…It is of note that the mechanisms by which the weight loss surgical procedures achieve sustained weight reduction and metabolic improvements beyond adiposity reduction remain incompletely understood [ 28 , 29 , 30 ]. Latest insights from others [ 31 ] and our own studies [ 32 , 33 , 34 ] indicate that the altered intestinal environment after RYGB-like gut reconfiguration induces remarkable top-down effects on the composition, diversity and metabolic activity of the gut microbiota, which may play an important role in the beneficial effects of the surgery. While several lines of evidence point to a decisive role for the altered gut microbiome [ 35 ] and increased bile acid abundance [ 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ] in supporting the effects of bariatric surgery on sustained adiposity reduction and metabolic improvements, the parallel dramatic changes in body weight and eating behavior essentially limit this interpretation.…”

Altered Gut Microbiota in Children With Hyperuricemia

“…Consistent with previous reports, we found that the serum UA level was negatively associated with the abundance of genus Alistipes, Faecalibacterium, Oscillospira, Parabacteroides , and Phascolarctobacterium ( 34 , 35 ). These bacteria are deemed as salutary microbiota insofar as they produce SCFAs ( 36 – 38 ). Using an experimental murine model of gout, and introducing a high-fat diet known to induce elevated levels of SCFAs, an accelerated resolution of the inflammatory response was observed, inferring a role for SCFAs in HUA-related inflammation ( 26 ).…”