Research
Adherence
Higher adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) and higher levels of physical activity are associated with a gut microbiota profile richer in Bacteroidetes (e.g., Flavobacterium, Pedobacter) and lower in Firmicutes, which correlates with lower body fat and higher muscle mass.
Your lifestyle directly shapes your gut bacteria. A diet rich in fibers and polyphenols (Mediterranean style) and regular physical activity are associated with a microbiome that supports leanness and muscle health. Focus on incorporating more plant-based fibers and moving regularly to foster a gut environment that supports metabolic health.
GoodSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Several bacterial taxa positively correlated with the MedDietScore, such as Flavobacteriaceae, Sphingobacteriaceae, Flavobacterium, Pedobacter... The taxa less abundant in OB compared to NW were negatively correlated with fat mass... and waist circumference... and positively correlated with BMI... and MedDietScore
Why this rating
Correlational data from a well-controlled observational study.
Source
Gut microbiota markers associated with obesity and overweight in Italian adults
Vanessa Palmas et al. · Scientific Reports · 2021
DOI 10.1038/s41598-021-84928-w
cross_sectional · n=92Cited 375×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Obesity and overweight are associated with a gut microbiota profile characterized by a significantly higher Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio, increased abundance of SCFA-producing Firmicutes taxa (e.g., Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcus gnavus), and decreased abundance of Bacteroidetes taxa (e.g., Bacteroides uniformis, Flavobacteriaceae).Good
- Increased abundance of specific Firmicutes taxa (e.g., Ruminococcus gnavus, Lachnospiraceae) and Proteobacteria (e.g., Escherichia, Enterobacteriaceae) in obesity contributes to chronic low-grade inflammation and metabolic endotoxemia via LPS production and mucin degradation.Good
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