Lifestyle, Gut Microbiota and Health

Dear Colleagues,

The gut microbiome has opened a new horizon in nutrition and biomedical research by being implicated in metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, among others. These diseases are also influenced by lifestyle factors such as dietary habits and exercise, which in turn can modify the composition of the gut microbiome. Thus, the gut microbiome can be considered an intermediary of the effects of diet and exercise on metabolic health assuming a special relevance in the prevention, treatment, and monitoring of these diseases.   

Diet is one of the most important factors that can modulate the gut microbiome and rapidly induce alterations in its composition. Some dietary components such as fiber and phytochemicals, as well as fermented foods (yogurt, kefir, wine, beer, etc.), may stimulate the growth or contain microorganisms that confer health benefits to the host. On the other hand, diet is also a source of exposure to environmental contaminants where the activity of endocrine disruptors may be mediated by gut microbiota modulation.

Recently, physical activity and exercise have been shown to beneficially modulate gut microbiota composition, increasing the relevance of these lifestyle factors in health.

The aim of this Special Issue is to gather more information on how our lifestyle including diet and exercise affect the gut microbiome and how this is associated with health. Therefore, I enthusiastically invite researchers to submit their research or review articles on this topic.

Dr. Cláudia Marques
Dr. Raffaella Gozzelino
Guest Editors

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