Gut bacteria can help to predict how the body will respond to fatty foods
Scientists have found that certain compounds, produced by microbes in the guts of mice, could be used to show which animals are at greater risk of becoming obese or developing health conditions such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease. The group, led by scientists at Imperial College London and INSERM UMRS 1138 in Paris, tested the urine of mice for a number of these microbial compounds, finding that certain key chemical signatures could accurately predict how the animals would respond to a high-fat diet before they received it. According to the researchers, the findings are another crucial piece of the puzzle in how the microbiome -- the ecosystem of bacteria living in our digestive tracts -- helps to shape our health, and could lead to personalised diets for patients based on the makeup of their gut flora. High-fat diets are a major driver of obesity and related health conditions, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, evidence from previous studies suggests ...