Correlation of intestinal microbiota with overweight and obesity in Kazakh school children

• Main Authors: Xu Peiru, Li Min, Zhang Jihong, Zhang Tao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2012-11-01
• Series: BMC Microbiology
• Subjects: Obesity, <it>Bacteroidetes</it>; <it>Firmicutes</it>; Kazakh
• Online Access: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2180/12/283

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This study sought to investigate a possible correlation between the intestinal microbiota, <it>Bacteroidetes</it> and <it>Firmicutes</it>, and obesity in Kazakh school children, aged 7–13 (n = 175).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Obese subjects had significantly greater systolic blood pressure, waist and hip circumference, as well as HOMA-IR as compared to normal and overweight participants. In addition, <it>Bacteroides</it> copy number and Bact/Firm ratios were significantly lower in the obese group as compared to the normal and overweight groups (<it>P</it> < 0.0167). This difference is only significant in girls, but not in boys when stratified by gender. Furthermore, a negative correlation between BMI and <it>Bacteroidetes</it> copy number (r = −0.18, <it>P</it> = 0.017) as well as Bact/Firm (r = −0.22, <it>P</it> = 0.003) was observed.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>An association between reduced gut <it>Bacteroidetes</it> and Bact/Firm ratio with obesity in female Kazakh children was identified. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the mechanism behind these changes as well as the value of determining their presence for predicting obesity.</p>