The use of fecal samples for studying human obesity

Excerpt

The impact of colonic bacteria on obesity in humans should not be underestimated. The breakdown of otherwise indigestible compounds by the colonic microbiota is an important function accomplished by syntrophic interactions, the products of which (mainly short chain fatty acids—SCFA—) may account for more than a 10 % of the human energy requirement. It is estimated that a slight increase of just 1 % in the microbial metabolic activity may increase an input of energy of 20 kcal day⁻¹ to the host (based on a diet of 2000 kcal day⁻¹) which could lead to a weight gain of approximately 1 kg per year [1]. On the other hand, production of SCFA may lead to satiety by inducing the secretion of gut hormones [2]. Therefore, it is crucial to understand factors that elicit changes in the microbiota and its fermentation efficiency since it may impact host energy balance as well. …