Two Blautia Species Associated with Visceral Fat Accumulation: A One-Year Longitudinal Study.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Prospective longitudinal observational cohort study
PubMed 35205184 · doi:10.3390/biology11020318
What was done
Investigators conducted a one-year longitudinal study evaluating 767 Japanese participants with varying visceral fat area (VFA) statuses. Changes in intestinal microflora composition were profiled using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and metagenomic shotgun sequencing, then analyzed via principal component analysis to assess associations with changes in VFA and body mass index (BMI).
What was found
Changes in the abundance ratio of two microbial genera (Blautia and Flavonifractor) were significantly associated with changes in VFA, whereas changes in four different genera were associated with BMI changes. Metagenomic shotgun sequencing showed that changes in the abundance ratios of two specific species, Blautia hansenii and Blautia producta, were significantly and negatively associated with changes in VFA. Specific numerical values, effect sizes, and p-values were not reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
This study indicates that visceral fat accumulation correlates with distinct gut microbial shifts compared to general BMI changes, highlighting specific Blautia species as potential targets or biomarkers for visceral adiposity.
Limits
The abstract reports no numerical values, effect sizes, correlation coefficients, or p-values. The cohort is restricted to Japanese adults, limiting generalizability across diverse diets and ethnicities. The observational design cannot establish whether shifts in Blautia species causally influence visceral fat accumulation or result from confounding dietary and metabolic factors.
Cited by
- context The bacterial species Blautia coccoides is associated with improved insulin sensitivity, reduced fat mass, and better blood glucose regulation.