A study has found that the Western diet can influence gut bacteria, increasing the risk of various gastrointestinal and metabolic diseases.
The results of a study investigating the impact of the Western diet on gut bacteria and the occurrence of gastrointestinal and metabolic diseases were published in the Best Practice & Research Clinical Gastroenterology Journal.
The Western diet is characterized by a high intake of animal-based foods including red meat, cheese, and butter. Nutritionally, it lacks plant-derived components such as fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. On the other hand, saturated fats, sugars, alcohol, and sodium, which are closely linked to metabolic diseases like hypertension and diabetes are high in diet.
The gut microbiome, which normally resides in the gastrointestinal tract, is known to play a key role in these correlations.
The researchers conducted a literature review to investigate the impact of the Western diet on gut bacteria and the resulting risk of various metabolic diseases.
The study found that a high-fat diet and diets high in saturated fats negatively affected bacteria such as Akkermansia muciniphila, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and bacteria in the Bacteroides, which influence the maintenance of the gut barrier.
Furthermore, a diet low in fiber negatively affected bacteria in the Clostridium and Bifidobacterium genera, which are involved in gut immunity.
The destruction of gut bacteria resulted in various gastrointestinal and metabolic diseases. Consuming fast food once a week or more increases the risk of inflammatory bowel disease, a condition related to gut immunity. The risk of ulcerative colitis expanded by 43%, while the risk of Crohn’s disease increased by 27%.
Not just fast food, but also the consumption of red meat, processed foods, sugars, and saturated fats increased the risk of inflammatory bowel disease.
The Western diet was also associated with type 2 diabetes, which accompanies gut dysbiosis. The diet led to a disruption in maintaining and regulating the gut barrier, resulting in increased inflammation and the production of key precursor substances related to the onset of type 2 diabetes.
Based on these results, the researchers concluded that the Western diet causes abnormalities in gut bacteria, raising the risk of gastrointestinal and metabolic diseases.
Most Commented