Diet Quality and the Gut Microbiota in Women Living in Alabama.

Rebecca B Little, Anarina L Murillo, William J Van Der Pol, Elliot J Lefkowitz, Casey D Morrow, Nengjun Yi, Tiffany L Carson

Journal: American journal of preventive medicine 2022;63(1 Suppl 1):S37-S46

PMID: 35725139

Free Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The gut microbiota is associated with obesity and modulated by individual dietary components. However, the relationships between diet quality and the gut microbiota and their potential interactions with weight status in diverse populations are not well understood. This study examined the associations between overall diet quality, weight status, and the gut microbiota in a racially balanced sample of adult females.

METHODS

Female participants (N=71) residing in Birmingham, Alabama provided demographics, anthropometrics, biospecimens, and dietary data in this observational study from March 2014 to August 2014, and data analysis was conducted from August 2017 to March 2019. Weight status was defined as a BMI (weight [kg]/height [m]) <30 kg/m for non-obese participants and ≥30 kg/m for participants who were obese. Dietary data collected included an Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour recall and Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010) score. Diet quality was defined as having a high HEI score (≥median) or a low HEI score (

RESULTS

Participants (43 Black, 28 White) aged 40.39±13.86 years who were non-obese (56%) and obese (44%) were studied. Greater alpha diversity was observed among those with higher Healthy Eating Index scores (p=0.037) but did not differ by weight status. Higher abundances of Bacteroidetes (p=0.006) and Firmicutes (p=0.042) were associated with a higher HEI score. Higher Bacteriodetes levels were observed among non-obese (p=0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

Diet quality measured by the HEI was associated with alpha diversity of the gut microbiota among adult females. Abundances of phyla that have been linked with weight status (Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes) were positively associated with diet quality.

Address: Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.; Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; Department of Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island; Center for Statistical Sciences, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island. Electronic address: [email protected].; Biomedical Informatics, UAB Center for Clinical and Translational Science, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.; Biomedical Informatics, UAB Center for Clinical and Translational Science, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.; Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.; Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.; Department of Health Outcomes and Behavior, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida; Department of Oncologic Sciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.

DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2022.02.015

Link outs

Free resources

Full Text Sources:

Subscription / membership required

Full Text Sources:

https://www.clinicalkey.com/content/playBy/pii?v=S...

MeSH Terms: Adult, Alabama, Diet, Female, Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Humans, Obesity, RNA, Ribosomal, 16S