Journal Article

Taxonomic Composition and Diversity of the Gut Microbiota in Relation to Habitual Dietary Intake in Korean Adults

Hwayoung Noh, Hyeon-Jeong Kim, Su-Yeon Cho, Jeongseon Kim, Gichang Kim, Marc J. Gunter, Heinz Freisling, Hwan-Hee Jang, Jeong-Sook Choe, Pietro Ferrari, Augustin Scalbert, Semi Zouiouich

2021

Overview

We investigated associations of habitual dietary intake with the taxonomic composition and diversity of the human gut microbiota in 222 Koreans aged 18–58 years in a cross-sectional study. Gut microbiota data were obtained by 16S rRNA gene sequencing on DNA extracted from fecal samples. The habitual diet for the previous year was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire. After multivariable adjustment, intake of several food groups including vegetables, fermented legumes, legumes, dairy products, processed meat, and non-alcoholic beverages were associated with major phyla of the gut microbiota. A dietary pattern related to higher α-diversity (HiαDP) derived by reduced rank regression was characterized by higher intakes of fermented legumes, vegetables, seaweeds, and nuts/seeds and lower intakes of non-alcoholic beverages. The HiαDP was positively associated with several genera of Firmicutes such as Lactobacillus, Ruminococcus, and Eubacterium (all p < 0.05). Among enterotypes identified by principal coordinate analysis based on the β-diversity, the Ruminococcus enterotype had higher HiαDP scores and was strongly positively associated with intakes of vegetables, seaweeds, and nuts/seeds, compared to the two other enterotypes. We conclude that a plant- and fermented food-based diet was positively associated with some genera of Firmicutes (e.g., Lactobacillus, Ruminococcus, and Eubacterium) reflecting better gut microbial health.

• Publisher: MDPI AG,MDPI
• Subject: Adolescent / Adult / Adults / Alcohol use / Alcoholic beverages / Antibiotics / Bacteria / Bacteria - classification / Bacteria - genetics / Beans / Biodiversity / Consortia / Cross-Sectional Studies / Dairy Products / Deoxyribonucleic acid / Diet / Dietary Fiber / dietary pattern / DNA / Eating / eating habits / enterotypes / Fatty acids / Feces / Feces - microbiology / Feeding Behavior / Female / fermentation / Fermented Foods / Firmicutes / Firmicutes - classification / Firmicutes - genetics / Food / food frequency questionnaires / Food habits / food intake / Gastrointestinal Microbiome / Gastrointestinal Microbiome - genetics / genes / Genomes / Gut microbiota / habitual diet / Hormone replacement therapy / human gut microbiota / Humans / intestinal microorganisms / Korean adults / Lactobacillus / Legumes / Lifestyles / Male / Microbiota / Microbiota (Symbiotic organisms) / Microorganisms / Middle Aged / Mimosaceae / multidimensional scaling / Nuts / Physiology / Questionnaires / Rankings / Republic of Korea / RNA / RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics / Ruminococcus / Taxonomy / Vegetables / Young Adult