Gut microbiota in infant and obesity

• Project/Area Number: 16K19673
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Pediatrics
• Research Institution: Nippon Medical School
• Principal Investigator: Tajima Hanako 日本医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (30465314)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2022)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,380,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥780,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥650,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥150,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000)
• Keywords: 小児肥満 / 腸内細菌叢 / 生活習慣病 / 細菌 / 糖尿病

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A birth cohort study (physical measurements, gut mictobiota analysis, blood test, etc.) was conducted from 0 to 3 years of age. Methods of delivery, administration of antibiotics, nutritional methods, and family history were also investigated. 102 children were enrolled and 15 were dropped out. 7 children were obese. Although the intestinal microbiota analysis was delayed due to the COVID-19 epidemic, it was shown that the composition of the gut mictobiota was significantly different in the obese group compared to the non-obese group. In addition, we are conducting statistical processing (multivariate analysis) on the subject's background and subsequent progress.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

肥満や2型糖尿病など「生活習慣病」と診断される小児は増加しており、その予防策や効果的治療は早急に検討されるべき課題である。生活習慣病にはある程度の家族集積性が認められ、多因子遺伝や食習慣をはじめとした生活環境が要因となる。そして最近になり、腸内細菌叢と生活習慣病発症の関係についての研究報告が散見されるようになってきた。本研究で、小児肥満リスク予測因子としての日齢０から３歳までの腸内細菌叢解析を行い、肥満小児における特徴的な腸内細菌叢構成を示すことができた。この結果は今後、生活習慣病の予防・早期治療に役立つ可能性があり、将来の生活習慣病患者の減少に貢献しうると考える。