Physical Activity Is Associated with Gut Microbiome Features and Organic Acid Patterns in Adults Consuming Plant-Rich...

Plant-rich dietary patterns are widely associated with metabolic and gastrointestinal health benefits. However, individuals consuming predominantly plant-based foods may also experience chronic low-dose exposure to dietary pesticide residues. At the same time, physical activity is recognized as an important lifestyle factor influencing metabolic health and gut microbiome composition. How microbiome features and microbiome-related metabolic profiles vary according to physical activity level in adults consuming plant-rich diets and reporting gastrointestinal symptoms remains insufficiently characterized.

To explore associations between physical activity level, gut microbiome characteristics, and urinary organic acid patterns in adults consuming predominantly plant-rich diets and experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms, within a cohort characterized by comparable estimated dietary pesticide exposure used as a contextual dietary background variable.

This cross-sectional observational study included 93 adults consuming ≥50% plant-based foods for at least six months and reporting persistent gastrointestinal symptoms. Participants were stratified according to physical activity level using WHO-based thresholds (<150 vs. ≥150 min/week of moderate-intensity activity). Stool microbiota were assessed using a targeted quantitative PCR panel, and microbial diversity was summarized using a laboratory-derived Shannon index. A voluntary subgroup (n = 50) underwent targeted urinary organic acid analysis (LC-MS/MS). Dietary pesticide exposure was indirectly estimated using national surveillance data combined with individual dietary records and was applied uniformly across groups. Analyses were primarily descriptive and exploratory; results are presented as associations.

Estimated dietary pesticide exposure did not differ between physical activity groups. Participants with lower physical activity were older and exhibited lower microbial diversity and a higher prevalence of reduced abundance in selected commensal taxa. Differences were observed in selected intermediary organic acid markers, while no statistically significant difference was found for the bile acid-related indicator. Several cross-domain correlations were identified between microbial features and metabolite patterns. However, given the cross-sectional design, age imbalance between groups, and subgroup-based metabolomic analyses, the findings should be interpreted as hypothesis-generating rather than indicative of independent effects of physical activity.

In adults consuming plant-rich diets and reporting gastrointestinal symptoms, physical activity level was associated with distinct microbiome and microbiome-related metabolic patterns under comparable estimated dietary pesticide exposure. These findings highlight the potential contribution of lifestyle factors to interindividual variability in gut microbial and metabolic profiles, while underscoring the need for age-adjusted, longitudinal, and biomarker-based studies to clarify directionality and mechanisms.