Gut microbiota and fecal short chain fatty acids differ with adiposity and country of origin: The METS-Microbiome Study.

ABSTRACT: The relationship between gut microbiota, short chain fatty acid (SCFA) metabolism, and obesity is still not well understood. Here we investigated these associations in a large (n=1904) African origin cohort from Ghana, South Africa, Jamaica, Seychelles, and the US. Fecal microbiota diversity and SCFA concentration were greatest in Ghanaians, and lowest in the US population, representing the lowest and highest end of the epidemiologic transition spectrum, respectively. Obesity was significantly associated with a reduction in SCFA concentration, microbial diversity and SCFA synthesizing bacteria. Country of origin could be accurately predicted from the fecal microbiota (AUC=0.97), while the predictive accuracy for obesity was inversely correlated to the epidemiological transition, being grea

SUBMITTER: Gilbert J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10120767 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature