Could Probiotics Treat Obesity?
Obesity, a problem which we all fear by being overweight, is a growing problem in this era of comfort. Major health organizations such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have declared this problem as an epidemic. The United States has one of the highest rates of obesity, with roughly 34% of all adults being obese. This figure is very high as the worldwide average percentage of obese people estimate to about 13%. After looking at these numbers, a fundamental question arises, “How is one classified as obese?”.
A person is classified as obese when their BMI or Body Mass Index is higher than 30 kg/m2. To calculate the Body Mass Index, divide the total mass of the person by the height of the person. There are many factors that can result in obesity. Some of the reasons include a lack of exercise, a heavy diet on carbohydrates, and an unhealthy lifestyle.
Researchers at Arizona State University found a correlation between obesity and the microbiome living in the gut which shows an inverse relationship between the amount of the microbiome in a person and obesity. People who have tried improving their diet, lifestyle and exercise pattern but still do not see any effects choose to undergo gastric bypass surgery.
In gastric bypass surgery, the surgeon divides the stomach into an upper smaller pouch and the rest of the stomach. The top pouch of the stomach connects to the small intestine. Gastric bypass surgery allows the body to require less food and gives a feeling of fullness for the majority of the time. Researchers at the Arizona University researched whether the microbiome changed after the surgery. The researchers not only found a significant increase in the microbiome but also figured a new technique to measure the microbiome. They not only found that there was a significant change in their microbiome but also found a better method to measure the microbiome. They saw that the samples obtained from the rectal mucosa layer were better than that of the fecal microbiome.
After understanding the relationship between the gut microbiome and obesity, the Arizona state university researchers started to find a method that can easily solve the problem by linking the two factors together. This link is Probiotics. Probiotics are living microorganisms that enhance or restore health to our gut microbiome. Our gut microbiome comprises mainly of Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and various other proteins. Our gut microbiome plays a crucial role in digestion and is drastically affected by the food we eat. Probiotic food products like yogurt contain Lactobacillus, which is in the Firmicutes group, and Bifidobacterium, a type of Actinobacteria. These bacteria help in the digestion. Hence, by consuming probiotics, the problem of obesity might be tackled. However, probiotics is a developing field of science that still has some secrets to be uncovered.
References
Eleanor Bird, M. (n.d.). Could probiotics treat obesity? Retrieved March 27, 2020, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/could-probiotics-treat-obesity
Rouxinol-Dias, A., Pinto, A., Janeiro, C., Rodrigues, D., Moreira, M., Dias, J., & Pereira, P. (2016, May 18). Probiotics for the control of obesity — Its effect on weight change. Retrieved March 27, 2020, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2444866416000064
Obesity in America: A Growing Concern. (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2020, from https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/obesity/obesity-america-growing-concern
Webster, A. (2019, April 19). Nutrition 101: Prebiotics, Probiotics and the Gut Microbiome. Retrieved from https://foodinsight.org/nutrition-101-prebiotics-probiotics-and-the-gut-microbiome/
