Gut Health & Obesity in Kids
by Henri Roca, MD, Clinical Functional Medicine Specialist
Click HERE to view reference article.
Childhood obesity is increasing across the US. Childhood obesity is associated with lifetime obesity. Obesity is a primary predictor of development of diabetes type II, heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and sleep apnea. So it stands to reason that working to decrease childhood obesity is a valuable investment for the child’s future health.
This study was based on the premise that our gut health has an effect on obesity. A vibrant gut flora ferments fiber to produce the short-chain fatty acid butyrate. Butyrate helps to optimize weight management. This study tests whether taking butyrate in addition to usual therapy can help with weight loss in children. The usual therapy in this study was following a Mediterranean Diet and engaging in 60 minutes of aerobic activity a day.
The study was blinded, randomized, and continued for 6 months. They measured Body Mass Index, metabolic measures, inflammation measures, diet, and gut microbiome.
Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet appeared similar in both arms of the study. There was no change in the gut microbiome between arms of the study over time but they did note that certain bacteria species present at the beginning of the study were associated with better outcomes. Those receiving butyrate had the following improvements:
Decrease in BMI of 10%
Decrease in waist circumference of 2 inches
Decrease in insulin level and calculated insulin resistance
Decrease in inflammatory cytokines
No change in lipid levels.
Even though butyrate appears to assist weight loss when following a Mediterranean Diet and engaging in 60 minutes of aerobic activity a day, adding fermented foods and optimizing gut flora could result in similar improvements. A Functional Medicine test that measures gut microbiome and function may help optimize your weight loss.
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