DOES THE GUT PLAY A PART?

Research is showing the major influence the gut has on our metabolism. ‘When gut bacteria from lean mice is transferred to overweight mice, they lose weight quickly and their appetite adjusts,’ says Miller. Furthermore, a University of Iowa, US, study suggests unhealthy microbiome [microbes in the body] shifts could slow your BMR – adding up to an average weight gain of 13kg a year.

A study from Boston Children’s Hospital, US, found that friendly gut bacteria may produce fatty acids that optimise metabolic function, while bad bacteria consume the same fatty acids, slowing it down. ‘This may indicate that looking after your microbiome by feeding it prebiotic fibres from plant-based foods might not just be useful for keeping you regular, it may also be keeping you slim,’ says Miller.