Changes to gut microbiome are known to impact metabolic health. Physiologists at Laval University in Canada have discovered that diets containing low fiber and high fat cause significant shifts in the gut microbiome—the collection of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other multicellular microorganisms that live in the gastrointestinal system. The study is published in the American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology. The research paper has been chosen as an APSselect article for June.

Researchers used a mouse model to determine the key dietary factors affecting gut microbiome and how they contribute to obesity and other metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes. Mice were fed varying levels of low-fiber, high-fat diets which changed their gut microbiome.

“What we have shown is that by increasing the amount of fiber in your diet and lowering the amount of fat, you work on two very important components that will improve your health,” said André Marette, PhD, of Laval University in Canada. Marette talked more in-depth about his findings in this video interview.

More than 34 million people in America have diabetes, and the overwhelming majority of these individuals have type 2 diabetes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Marette’s team hopes to test the findings from the animal model in a new upcoming clinical study involving humans. The goal is to help define novel nutritional approaches to prevent unhealthy changes in gut microbiome and intestinal function to reduce the risk of metabolic diseases.