Review: Poor Diet Diversity Could Trigger Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes

An example of poor diet diversity is a reliance on foods which lack a wide range of nutrients, such as white bread, white rice, pasta and pastries. By contrast, a diet based around a good range of whole foods with minimal processing provides good diet diversity.

Role of the gut microbiome
Gut microbiota metabolize specific nutrients from food. The microbiota then transforms the energy taken from food into new molecules, producing certain substances that act as metabolic signals.

 

When the gut microbiome is packed with richness of microbiota species – which comes from eating a diverse, healthy diet –  the microbiome is more adaptable and able to deal with metabolic problems.

 

However, poor diet diversity affects the functionality of the gut microbiome. "Healthy individuals possess a diverse gut microbiota but a reduced microbiotic richness gives rise to Type 2 diabetes, obesity and inflammatory bowel disease," said the researchers.

 

In their review, the research team found "a loss in species diversity […] in several disease states. This biome is flooded with energy in the form of undigested and partially digested foods, and in some cases drugs and dietary supplements."

 

The researchers stress that eating a balanced, diverse diet can reduce the risk of developing obesity and Type 2 diabetes. To eat healthily, with a wide range of nutrients, the best way to do this is to include a strong intake of vegetables in the diet, as well as including only a few highly-processed foods such as white bread, ready to heat meals or sugary foods.