Overview
The STRONG Kids Obesity Risk Biomarkers subproject investigated the role of the microbial communities inhabiting the gut and how they are involved in child health and development. Specifically, this project had the following aims:
- Establish non-invasive methodologies to identify novel biomarkers related to early onset childhood obesity
- Correlate presence of high-risk alleles in genes associated with obesity to stool microbial density and diversity
- Understand the impact of stool microbiota on weight gain trajectories of children
- Explore the relationship between obesity and high methane production in children
One of the highlights of this subproject was the noninvasive approach to studying childhood obesity. For example, the DXA scan (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) is a body composition test that uses low-dose beams of x-ray energy and is comparable to one-tenth the x-ray exposure during a chest x-ray performed on an adult. Stool samples were collected to measure the types of bacteria found in the gut, and breath and saliva were used to measure other metabolic quantities. This research enhanced our understanding of the microbiota in preschool–age children and its relationship with child growth and development including the areas of being overweight and obesity.
Research Team
- Margarita Teran-Garcia, Assistant Professor, Food Science and Human Nutrition
- Sharon Donovan, Ph.D., RD, Professor, Food Science and Human Nutrition
- Rex Gaskins, PhD, Professor, Animal Sciences
Contact:
Margarita Teran-Garcia
217-244-2025; teranmd@illinois.edu
Funding
This project was funded by the Illinois Research Board