GRADIENT - Impact of gut microbiota targeted dietary intervention on obesity: A precision medicine approach

ABSTRACT

Obesity affects a big proportion of the global population and impairs health by increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Every few years, we witness new dietary trends that promise rapid and efficient weight loss. However, hardly any information is available on the impact of these dietary interventions on the gut microbiome and host metabolism. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the GRADIENT project aims to fill in knowledge gaps on the short-term and long-term impact of intermittent fasting, the KetoDiet and the classical Mediterranean diet. Results will inform better obesity treatments, improve mental and physical health, and potentially reduce surgical interventions.

OBJECTIVE

The main objective is to analyze the impact of dietary hypocaloric interventions based on their capacity to generate ketone bodies in different degrees of intensity: using Intermittent fasting, KetoDiet in comparison with the classical MedDiet, in individuals with obesity, and their influences on the gut microbiota, resistome, host metabolism, and the possible genetic and epigenetics links. We aim to contribute with the advance in the development of a precision medicine approach in obesity to decrease the prevalence of obesity and its associated comorbidities, and to evaluate the impact of dietary interventions as an alternative approach to antimicrobial resistance.
To achieve our goal, we will study in a randomized cross-over group of individuals with obesity: A) Analyse the effect of dietary interventions (MedDiet, intermittent fasting (IF) and KetoDiet) on the gut microbiota composition and the relationship with anthropometrics, metabolic, inflammatory and epigenetics driven factors at short term (1 month) B) Analyse the effect of dietary interventions (MedDiet, IF, KetoDiet) on the gut microbiota composition and the relationship with epigenetics factors at medium-term(3 months) C) Evaluate the impact of the gut microbiota targeted dietary interventions (MedDiet, IF and KetoDiet) at short- and medium-term on the gut resistome and relate it with the inflammatory milieu of the host.
Our results will help to improve the treatment of metabolic diseases associated to obesity using a precision medicine approach based on the influence of diet interventions on the gut microbiota, gut resistome, host response and environmental factors. The outcome of this project will have an impact in the health sector by improving mental health and physical health of all overweight and obese individuals, in the economy sector by reducing the need of surgical approaches to achieve weight loss, reducing the risk of development obesity-related complications and overuse of antimicrobials.

GRADIENT

Project Information

Fellow

Dr. Teresita de Jesus Bello Gonzalez

Supervisor

Isabel Moreno Genomica

Dr. Isabel Moreno Indias