Western diet improves fat ingestion: Research

Washington, April 27: Western diets, high in fat and simple sugar, may promote the growth of bacteria in the small intestine that increase fat digestion and absorption, a study claims.

The study, published in the journal Cell Host and Microbe, determined if microbes were required for digestion and absorption of fats.

The researchers from the Midwestern University in the US assessed which microbes were involved, and the role of dietinduced microbes on the digestion and uptake of fats.

They conducted a series of experiments to demonstrate that mice reared germ- free ( GF) are protected from diet- induced obesity and are unable to absorb fat compared to conventionally- raised mice, also known as specific pathogen free ( SPF) mice.

When the germ- free animals are given small intestine microbiota from high fat conditions, they are able to absorb fat, said Kristina Martinez- Guryn, an assistant professor at Midwestern University.

The findings suggest that these microbes facilitate production and secretion of digestive enzymes into the small bowel, MartinezGuryn said.

Those digestive enzymes break down dietary fat, enabling the rapid absorption of calorie- dense foods, the researchers said.

Additional experiments showed that bacteriaderived bioactive products stimulate absorptive cells in the small intestine to package.