The diet of an average American is an unhealthy one that does not adhere to guidelines created by HHS and the USDA and consists of over 35 percent fat. That’s one reason why there is an epidemic of obesity in the US and other counties that have adopted similar diets.
We know that women of childbearing age who are obese have an altered gut microbiome and an increased risk of colitis. Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern wanted to know more about how a fatty American diet might be impacting offspring.
Using an animal model, the researchers focused on how high-fat diets in pregnancy were influencing inflammation and the microbiome, the community of bacteria, in neonatal offspring. A high-fat diet altered the microbiome of offspring, the researchers found, and increased their risk of inflammation. The work is summarized in the video above by the senior author of the study, Assistant Professor Julie Mirpuri.
Source: HHS, JCI Insight
