Exploring Gut Microbiota and the Influence of Physical Activity Interventions on Overweight and Obese Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

The recognition that the gut microbiota of obese children differs from lean children has grown, and some studies suggest that physical activity positively influences the gut microbiota. This systematic review explores the changes in the gut microbiota composition of obese and non-obese children and...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Healthcare (Basel) 2023-09, Vol.11 (17), p.2459
Main Authors: Morgado, Micaela C, Sousa, Mónica, Coelho, André B, Costa, Júlio A, Seabra, André
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacteroidetes
Bias
Body weight
childhood
Children
Comparative analysis
Complications and side effects
Composition
Exercise
Health aspects
Influence
Intervention
intestinal microbiota
lifestyle
Metabolic disorders
Microbiota
Microbiota (Symbiotic organisms)
Obesity
Obesity in adolescence
Obesity in children
Overweight
Pediatrics
Physical fitness
Prenatal development
Systematic Review
Teenagers
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The recognition that the gut microbiota of obese children differs from lean children has grown, and some studies suggest that physical activity positively influences the gut microbiota. This systematic review explores the changes in the gut microbiota composition of obese and non-obese children and adolescents and provides an understanding of the effects of physical activity interventions in modulating their microbiota. The PRISMA protocol was used across PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Overall, twenty-four research papers were included in accordance with the chosen inclusion and exclusion criteria, eighteen studies compared the gut microbiota of obese and normal-weight children and adolescents, and six studies explored the effect of physical activity interventions on the gut microbiota. The analysis indicated that obese gut microbiota is reduced in Bacteroidetes, Bifidobacterium and alpha diversity but enriched in Proteobacteria and Lactobacillus. Interventions with physical activity seem to improve the alpha diversity and beneficial bacteria linked to body weight loss in children and adolescents. The gut microbiota of obese children exhibited a remarkably individual variation. More interventions are needed to clearly and accurately explore the relationships between child obesity, gut microbiota, and physical activity and to develop approaches to decrease the incidence of paediatric obesity.
ISSN:2227-9032
2227-9032
DOI:10.3390/healthcare11172459