Adherence
Higher levels of moderate and vigorous physical activity are robustly associated with increased gut microbiome diversity, independent of major dietary factors and BMI.
Aim for regular moderate (e.g., brisk walking) or vigorous (e.g., running, cycling) physical activity. This study suggests that doing so is strongly linked to a healthier, more diverse gut microbiome, regardless of your exact diet or weight. You don't need to be an athlete; consistency in movement is the key lever identified here.
Our results thus reveal a robust relationship at population-level between physical activity and microbiome diversity that is independent of major dietary factors and BMI.
Why this rating
Large cross-sectional study (n=3400) with rigorous statistical correction (FDR) and adjustment for confounders (diet, BMI).
Source
Health and disease markers correlate with gut microbiome composition across thousands of people
Ohad Manor et al. · Nature Communications · 2020
DOI 10.1038/s41467-020-18871-1
More from this paper
- Higher microbiome diversity is associated with a 'health-related' cluster of host factors (e.g., higher HDL, vitamin D, physical activity) and lower abundance of certain pathogenic genera, while lower diversity is linked to a 'disease-related' cluster (e.g., high BMI, inflammation, diabetes markers).Good
- The association between specific gut bacteria (e.g., Faecalibacterium, Lachnospira) and health markers is robust and independent of overall microbiome diversity, whereas associations with other bacteria (e.g., Ruminococcaceae) are largely driven by overall diversity.Good
Related findings · Adherence
- Regular physical activity (at least 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity) reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality by 20-30% and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by 25-35%.Strong
- Increasing physical activity from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one in middle adulthood significantly reduces the risk of coronary events compared to remaining sedentary.Strong
- Resistance exercise is the only intervention capable of consistently restoring muscle function and strength in sarcopenia, partially overcoming age-related anabolic resistance.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →