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The Western diet-microbiome-host interaction and its role in metabolic disease
Although the Western diet-like dietary pattern is strongly linked with obesity and metabolic diseases, Zinöcker & Lindseth (2018) point out the uncertainty over the biological mechanisms involved in this interaction. The Western diet may promote inflammation, as the ultra-processed foods (common feature of the Western diet) creates an attractive gut environment for microbes that induce various forms of inflammatory disease. Looking at food patterns, whole foods appear to be present in diets associated with a low level of diet-related disease. This review supports further analysis of how ultra-processing alters the properties of whole foods and how these foods affect the gut microbiome. In addition to nutritional research, food production industries should also consider the implications of microbiome’s role in disease development. The goal should be to achieve health in the “super-organism” of man and microbes. Finally, stronger regulation of potentially hazardous components of food products may be warranted. [NPID: diet, disease, mental health, obesity, metabolic diseases, Western-style diet, WS diet, inflammation, ultra-processed foods, microbes, gut-brain axis, gut microbiome, microbes]
Year: 2018
