Relationship Between Diet Quality, Intestinal Permeability, and Gut Microbiota Features in Individuals with Obesity

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Microbiome Research
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Obesity is associated with altered gut microbiota and increased intestinal permeability.
• Dietary patterns significantly influence gut health and metabolic outcomes.
• Understanding the interplay between diet, gut barrier function, and microbiota is crucial for managing obesity-related health issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between adherence to three dietary patterns (HEI-2010, MDP, DASH) and intestinal permeability.
• To explore the relationship between these dietary patterns, intestinal permeability, and gut microbiota composition.
• To examine the impact of diet quality on gut health markers in an obese population.

Main Methods:

• Post hoc, cross-sectional study of 103 healthy, obese adults.
• Dietary intake assessed using the Vioscreen food frequency questionnaire.
• Intestinal permeability measured by urinary sugar excretion; microbiota characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Main Results:

• Higher adherence to HEI-2010, MDP, and DASH dietary patterns correlated with lower intestinal permeability.
• Fruit intake was consistently associated with reduced intestinal permeability across all dietary patterns.
• Higher DASH scores linked to decreased Proteobacteria and increased Verrucomicrobia abundance.

Conclusions:

• Diet quality, assessed by HEI-2010, MDP, and DASH patterns, may play a role in maintaining intestinal barrier integrity.
• Specific dietary components, like fruits, appear beneficial for gut health.
• Findings suggest that dietary interventions could be a strategy to improve gut health in obese individuals.