Dietary Fiber Intake and Its Relationships with Lipid
Profiles and Gut Microbiota in Obese Thai Children:
A Pilot Study
Saengpanit P, MD¹, Chomtho S, MD, PhD², Sriswasdi S, PhD³ , ⁴, Rodpan A, MSc⁵ , ⁶, Joyjinda Y, MSc⁶ , ⁷,
Panichsillaphakit E, MD¹, Uaariyapanichkul J, MD¹ , ², Tempark T, MD⁸, Bongsebandhu-phubhakdi C, MD, MSc⁸,
Suteerojntrakool O, MD² , ⁸, Visuthranukul C, MD²
Affiliation : ¹ Division of Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, The Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, Thailand ² Pediatric Nutrition STAR (Special Task Force for Activating Research), Division of Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand ³ Research Affairs, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand ⁴ Computational Molecular Biology Group, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand ⁵ Neuroscience Center for Research and Development, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand ⁶ WHO-CC for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand ⁷ Thai Red Cross Emerging Infection Diseases-Health Science Centre, Bangkok, Thailand ⁸ Division of Ambulatory, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
Objective: To assess the dietary fiber intake in obese Thai children and its relationships with lipid profiles and gut microbiota.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study of obese Thai children aged 7 to 15 years was conducted between October 2017 and April 2018. The dietary fiber intake, body composition, and plasma lipid profiles of the participants were evaluated. Stool samples were analyzed for gut microbiota by 16S rRNA sequencing.
Results: There were 43 participants in the present study of which 27 participants (63%) were boy. The median (interquartile range, IQR) age was 10.0 (9.0 to 12.0) years. The median (IQR) BMI z-score was 3.0 (2.6 to 3.5). The mean±SD body fat percentage was 42.2±4.6%. The median (IQR) daily fiber intake was 2.3 (0.9 to 3.5) grams per 1,000 kcal. The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia, elevated LDL, and hypertriglyceridemia was 26%, 37%, and 14%, respectively. The total dietary fiber intake was negatively associated with the plasma total cholesterol (r=–0.379, p=0.01). Twenty-nine stool samples were analyzed. The most abundant bacterial groups belonged to the phyla Bacteroidetes (46%) and Firmicutes (39%). The dietary fiber intake tended to be positively associated with Lactobacillales (r=0.313, p=0.09) but it was not associated with Bifidobacteriales (r=0.109, p=0.57).
Conclusion: Obese Thai children consumed inadequate fiber. The higher dietary fiber intake was associated with a lower total cholesterol level and the more favorable gut microbiota composition. Further interventional study of dietary fiber supplement in this population is warranted.
Keywords : Dietary fiber, Gut microbiota, Lipid profiles, Body composition, Obesity
All Articles
Download