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https://www.arca.fiocruz.br/handle/icict/68299
IMPACT OF PLANT-BASED SCHOOL MEALS ON GUT BIFIDOBACTERIUM SPP. ABUNDANCE AND HEALTH OUTCOMES IN SCHOOLCHILDREN FROM BAHIA, BRAZIL
Plant-based diet
School-based intervention
Gut microbiota
Public health
Author
Affilliation
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Carlos Chagas. Curitiba, PR, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil.
Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública. Salvador, BA, Brasil.
Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública. Salvador, BA, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil.
Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública. Salvador, BA, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Carlos Chagas. Curitiba, PR, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil.
Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública. Salvador, BA, Brasil.
Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública. Salvador, BA, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil.
Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública. Salvador, BA, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil.
Abstract
Plant-based diets have been linked to various health benefits, including an improved gut microbiota composition, potentially influencing non-communicable diseases. This study investigates the impact of a school meal intervention on the gut microbiota, specifically the abundance of Bifidobacterium spp. (BIF), in Brazilian schoolchildren. A quasi-experimental intervention was conducted in 2019 across four municipalities in the semi-arid region of Bahia, Brazil. The Sustainable School Program aimed to replace animal-based and ultra-processed foods with plant-based options. Clinical, dietary, anthropometric, and laboratory data were collected at the beginning and end of the school year. Fecal samples were analyzed for BIF abundance using RT-PCR. The intervention improved anthropometric and laboratory outcomes, including increased serum hemoglobin levels and reduced LDL-cholesterol. Despite these benefits, no significant change in BIF abundance was observed. However, a negative correlation between BIF abundance and waist-to-height ratio was found. While the intervention positively affected several health parameters, it did not significantly alter BIF abundance. Nevertheless, the abundance of BIF may explain some of these positive outcomes. The findings highlight the potential of plant-based diets to improve overall health, but suggest that further research is needed to understand the role of the gut microbiota in these outcomes. Future studies should explore the influence of factors such as physical activity on the gut microbiota and health.
Keywords
Bifidobacterium spp.Plant-based diet
School-based intervention
Gut microbiota
Public health
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