Similar to previous research in adults, a new study led by Yale University researchers reveals the digestive tracts of obese children and teens are home to different bacteria than those of their leaner peers, according to Yale News.
To determine this, researchers analyzed the microbiota of 84 children and teens of varying weights. The results were published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
"Our findings show children and teenagers with obesity have a different composition of gut flora than lean youth," lead author Nicola Santoro, MD, an associate research scientist in pediatrics at New Haven, Conn.-based Yale, told Yale News. "This suggests that targeted modifications to the specific species composing the human microbiota could be developed and could help to prevent or treat early-onset obesity in the future."
The obese youth also had more short chain fatty acids, according to the study. These acids are produced by gut bacteria and have been linked to fat production in the liver, according to Yale News. The link means children who have certain bacteria in their digestive tracts are at risk of becoming obese, Dr. Santoro said.
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