Beach bodies and weight loss are hot topics each summer. But losing those extra pounds is a struggle for many people. What if a crucial piece of information was missing?! Did you know about the connection between the microbiome and weight? They are in fact so related, that scientists can tell if a person is lean or obese just by looking at the composition of their gut microbes [1, 2].
Besides wanting to lose weight to feel great in a swim suit, it is also relevant from a health perspective, as obesity increases the risk for metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. In the US, 37.32% of adults and 21.38% of children are obese (BMI ≥ 30) and even more are overweight [3]. In 2020, 39 million children under 5 were overweight or obese worldwide. [4]
How the microbiome influences our weight
It plays a central role in our digestion and metabolism
Low microbial diversity can lead to obesity and microbial differences precede obesity [5]
I wrote this article for MyMicrobiome.info and publish it here with kind permission of MyMicrobiome.
I appreciate you sharing your thoughts, Aha’s and questions in the comments below this blog.
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