A loss of dietary diversity during the past
50 years could be a contributing factor to the rise in obesity, Type 2
diabetes, gastrointestinal problems and other diseases, according to a
lecture by Mark Heiman, vice president and chief scientific officer at
MicroBiome Therapeutics, at IFT15: Where Science Feeds Innovation hosted
by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) in Chicago.
Heiman said diet is the principal regulator of the GI microbiome, the
ecosystem of the human GI tract. The microbiome contains trillions of
bacteria (microbiota) in a solution of unabsorbed macro- and
micro-nutrients. The microbiota use the remnants from digestion to
create new signaling molecules that allow the microbiota to communicate
with a person's metabolic and GI regulatory system.
The microbiome needs a diverse diet to function optimally. However, current agricultural practices as well as climate change have contributed to a loss of that diversity, with about 75 percent of the world's population consuming only five animal species and 12 plant species. Of those 12, rice, maize and wheat contribute 60 percent of all the calories, he said.
"Like any ecosystem, the one that is most diverse in species is the one that is going to be the healthiest," Heiman said. "In almost every disease state that has been studied so far, the microbiome has lost diversity. There are just a few species that seem to dominate."
Heiman said both of the studies showed health benefits from taking a therapeutic agent, but the results also point to the potential health benefits for people who make dietary changes.
"Think about diets and think about foods you eat," he said. "How can we get more diversity into our diets? And we may think less about fad diets where you eliminate a certain component to your diet."
The microbiome needs a diverse diet to function optimally. However, current agricultural practices as well as climate change have contributed to a loss of that diversity, with about 75 percent of the world's population consuming only five animal species and 12 plant species. Of those 12, rice, maize and wheat contribute 60 percent of all the calories, he said.
"Like any ecosystem, the one that is most diverse in species is the one that is going to be the healthiest," Heiman said. "In almost every disease state that has been studied so far, the microbiome has lost diversity. There are just a few species that seem to dominate."
Heiman said both of the studies showed health benefits from taking a therapeutic agent, but the results also point to the potential health benefits for people who make dietary changes.
"Think about diets and think about foods you eat," he said. "How can we get more diversity into our diets? And we may think less about fad diets where you eliminate a certain component to your diet."
No comments:
Post a Comment