Obesity May Be Caused By Bacteria

The world is being swept by the epidemic of obesity. So far diets, lack of exercise and heredity have all been blamed for this epidemic. Now scientists have found another cause to add to the growing list.

When we digest food there are trillions of helpful microbes in our gut that play varying vital roles in the digestion process. However, some of these microbes are better at the digestion process than others.

The British journal Nature recently published a new research report that suggested digestive bacteria which have two common classes play an unsuspected role in how much weight a person gains from a certain amount of food.

The study shows that scientists have found that obese people have a digestive tract that has very efficient microbes which means they extract more energy from food for saving in the fat cells. Those who maintain a lower weight have less efficient microbes in their digestive tract which means that undigested food will pass straight through the body without accumulating as fat in the body.

This new study means that there can now be new efforts to control obesity with more possibilities for individuals who are overweight. Some of these new treatments may focus on the composition of bacteria in the gut and changing it. However, this doesn't mean that diet and exercise having nothing to do with weight gain. It is still important to eat healthy and exercise to maintain a good weight. Heredity is also still an issue not to be counted out yet.

White Papers

Healthy Snacks
Snack food industry trends
Beverages and Foods

Suggest an Article

Haven´t found the article you are looking for, please suggest your article. We value all your suggestions and comments.

Home |