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Probiotics May Help Control Childhood Obesity, Says New Study

2020-09-07T23:45:14.152Z


In combination with a calorie-controlled diet, the probiotic strain Bifidobacterium breve may help obese children and adolescents lose weight, according to a small study that was pr ...


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(CNN) -

More than 340 million children and adolescents in the world were overweight or obese by 2016, which means they face an increased risk of later obesity and disease, and even premature death.

One solution to this growing problem could be to monitor children's gut health.

In combination with a calorie-controlled diet, the probiotic strain

bifidobacterium

breve

may help obese children and adolescents lose weight, according to a small study to be presented this Monday at e-ECE 2020, the 22nd edition of the European Congress of Endocrinology.

Our intestinal flora is a dynamic population of more than 100 billion microorganisms in our gastrointestinal tract, which are responsible for maintaining immune function, normal metabolism, and protection against pathogens.

Diet is considered a key factor in the intestinal flora, and imbalances in it have been linked to diseases and infections.

Probiotics consist of live bacteria and other microorganisms "that are intended to have health benefits when consumed or applied to the body," and can be found in yogurt, other fermented foods and dietary supplements, according to the National Center for Health. Complementary and Comprehensive of the United States.

Like microorganisms naturally present in our bodies, some bacteria in these probiotics can aid digestion, vitamin production, and the destruction of disease-causing cells.

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Bifidobacteria are one of the most common bacteria used in probiotics, as they naturally live in our stomachs and intestines and protect us against pathogens, regulate our immune systems, and provide nutrients by breaking down carbohydrates and fiber.

This strain also produces short-chain fatty acids, which play an important role in regulating gut health, hunger, and weight.

Previous research used mixtures of probiotic strains to assess the effect on obesity management, so the authors of the current study sought to find out what happened when they administered bifidobacteria alone.

Probiotics for weight control

The authors evaluated 100 children and adolescents between the ages of 6 and 18 with obesity and insulin resistance, a condition in which cells in muscle, fat and liver do not respond well to insulin and cannot easily absorb insulin. glucose from the blood, so the pancreas produces more insulin to help glucose enter the cells.

The reduced absorption creates a build-up of glucose in the blood over time, potentially setting the stage for the onset of type 2 diabetes.

All the children were on a Mediterranean-style diet with a calorie limit tailored to their needs, explained study lead author Dr. Flavia Prodam, associate professor of Clinical Nutrition in the Department of Health Sciences at the University of Piemonte. Orientale in Italy.

The children then received the probiotic or a placebo for eight weeks.

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    Study suggests there is a link

Both groups ultimately experienced a reduction in body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, insulin resistance, and concentrations of the

E. coli

bacteria

in their intestines.

Participants who took probiotics, however, had greater results in weight loss, insulin sensitivity, and reduced concentrations of E. coli.

The fact that the effects of probiotics continued for a few weeks after children stopped taking them is an unusual finding for probiotic studies, said Dr. Christopher Moran, a pediatric gastroenterologist and director of the Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition Fellowship. from MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston, who was not involved in the study.

"Many studies show that when you stop taking the probiotic, it fades in the intestines and has no long-lasting (effects)," added Moran, who is also an assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.

Support your child's gut health

Parents interested in caring for their child's gut flora for weight control or general health can look to whole food sources.

Many fermented foods and cultured dairy products - such as yogurt, kefir, goat's milk, aged cheeses, kimchi, miso, and sauerkraut - contain live probiotics.

Packaged foods can contain one or more strains of probiotics, and ingredient labels can detail which strains are present and whether they are alive and active.

Foods like "wheat, onion, banana, garlic and leek" can also feed the bifidobacteria in our guts, Prodam said.

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The fact that children have more or less of certain probiotic strains may be a genetic and environmental predisposition, Moran noted, but the composition of the flora can also be "directly dependent on the intake of certain foods, including changes in the flora when we eat overly processed foods ».

"Eating a varied diet and avoiding a lot of processed foods is the most important thing," Moran added.

The more processed foods you eat, the more likely you are to have a negative effect on the microbiome.

That could potentially lead to obesity, but also to (gastrointestinal) discomfort and inflammatory conditions of the gastrointestinal tract such as Crohn's disease, "he explained.

The unknowns of probiotics

Additional and more extensive studies are needed to better understand how probiotic supplements could modify the intestinal flora, and therefore metabolism and weight.

“There is already data suggesting that obesity could (be) associated with changes in the microbiome, although many of those data do not describe whether changes in the microbiome occurred first (…) or if weight changes occurred and then changes in the microbiome, ”Moran said in an email.

"We also know that many major dietary changes (especially restriction diets) have a great effect on our microbiome," he added.

Despite how popular probiotic dietary supplements have become, many of them do not require approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before being released for sale.

Probiotics that are sold as drugs or treatments for specific conditions must first be proven safe and effective through clinical trials and must be approved by the FDA.

"Although probiotics are generally considered safe for most people, most trials on probiotics have not reported as rigorous safety data as those reported in pharmaceutical trials," said Dr. Geoffrey Preidis, pediatric gastroenterologist and assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Baylor School of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital.

"So the risk of side effects might be higher than we think," added Preidis, who was not involved in the study.

"Parents should consult with their children's doctors before starting any probiotic regimen," he added.

Child Obesity

Source: cnnespanol

All news articles on 2020-09-07

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