Mixed
A 52-week multidisciplinary weight-loss intervention (very low calorie diet, exercise, behavioral therapy) leads to a sustained increase in fecal Akkermansia abundance, which remains elevated after weight regain.
If you are obese and undergoing a structured weight-loss program, you can expect your gut bacteria to change. Specifically, the beneficial bacterium Akkermansia tends to increase and stay high even if you regain some weight later. This suggests that the type of weight loss matters for your gut health, not just the amount lost. Focus on programs that include diet, exercise, and behavioral support, as these are more likely to produce this beneficial microbial shift.
Overall the microbiota responded to the dietetic and lifestyle intervention but tended to return to the initial situation both at the taxonomical and functional level at the end of the intervention after one year, except for an increase in Akkermansia abundance which remained stable over two years (12.7x103 counts, 95%CI: 322–25100 at month 0; 141x103 counts, 95%CI: 49-233x103 at month 24; p = 0.005).
Why this rating
Longitudinal study with whole metagenome shotgun sequencing, though sample size is small (n=16).
Source
Characterization of the Gut Microbial Community of Obese Patients Following a Weight-Loss Intervention Using Whole Metagenome Shotgun Sequencing
Sandrine Louis et al. · PLoS ONE · 2016
DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0149564
Related findings · Mixed
- Bariatric surgery (VSG and RYGB) is the most effective and sustainable treatment for obesity, producing marked and sustained weight loss that non-surgical interventions cannot match.Strong
- Severely protein-deficient diets (2–3% energy) induce lean body mass loss and metabolic imbalance, whereas adequate protein intake (0.66 g/kg/d minimum) is a prerequisite for maintaining muscle, bone, and physiological function.Strong
- For patients with Class III obesity (BMI >39.9 kg/m2), metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) is significantly more effective than any currently approved medication, with BilioPancreatic Diversion (BPD) showing the highest estimated weight loss.Strong
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