Association of gut microbiota and glucose metabolism in children with disparate degrees of adiposity

Abstract

SummaryObjectiveTo investigate the characteristics of gut microbiota in children with disparate degrees of adiposity, and analyze the association between gut microbiota, glucose metabolism indicators, and inflammatory factors.MethodsClinical data were examined in 89 Chinese children. Children with a body fat percentage ≥ 30% were diagnosed as obese, and ≥ 35% in males and ≥ 40% in females were further defined as severe obesity. The composition of gut microbiota was determined by 16S rDNA‐based metagenomics.ResultsThe study population (9.75 ± 1.92‐year‐old) was characterized as normal weight (n = 29), mild obesity (n = 27) and severe obesity (n = 33) groups. Linear discriminant analysis Effect Size (LEfSe) analysis found that compared to the severe obesity group, subjects with mild obesity had more prevalent members of the phylumFusobacteria,thegenusAlistipes, and fewer members of genusGranulicatellaandClostridium(p < 0.05).For subjects with mild obesity, Spearman's correlation analysis revealed that fasting plasma glucose positively correlated with speciesA. indistinctus,A. putredinis, and negatively correlated with speciesRuminococcus gnavus; LBP negatively correlated with speciesClostridium hathewayi, andBlautia producta. For subjects with severe obesity, oral glucose tolerance test 2 h plasma glucose (OGTT2HPG) negatively correlated with the phylumSynergistetes, genusPyramidobacter, speciesVeillonella parvula,P. piscolens, and positively correlated with speciesB. producta, INS and HOMA‐IR negatively correlated with the genusHaemophilus, speciesH. parainfluenzae, lipopolysaccharide‐binding protein (LBP) negatively correlated with the phylumActinobacteria, genusBifidobacterium,Lactobacillus, and speciesB. longum(allp < 0.05).Phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states 2 (PICRUSt2) analysis discerned that the glucose metabolism pathway, gluconeogenesis I was curtailed in the severe obesity group.ConclusionThe gut microbiota could favourably compensate for glucose metabolism in children with obesity. GenusHaemophilusandBifidobacterium longummay influence glucose tolerance and insulin resistance in children with severe obesity.