Koller · Nutrients 2025 · systematic review · n=?

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth and Pediatric Obesity-A Systematic Review.

Cited 4 times in the scientific literature.

Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study

Systematic review of predominantly observational studies

PubMed 40362809 · doi:10.3390/nu17091499 · record verified 2026-08-29

What was done

A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from 2010 to the present was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in children with obesity, its associations with low-grade inflammatory markers, metabolic status, and dysbiosis, as well as diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

What was found

The abstract reports no numbers, effect estimates, or study counts. It narratively reports that small intestinal bacterial overgrowth is frequently observed in pediatric obesity and is associated with gut dysbiosis, impaired nutrient absorption, decreased short-chain fatty acid production, increased intestinal permeability, endotoxemia, and chronic low-grade inflammation. Diagnostic inconsistencies remain, while probiotics, prebiotics, diet, and selective antibiotics show potential.

Why it matters

This review links small intestinal bacterial overgrowth to systemic inflammation and metabolic complications in pediatric obesity, highlighting the gut microbiome as a therapeutic target.

Limits

The abstract provides no sample sizes, number of included studies, or quantitative pooled estimates. Diagnostic methods for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth vary across studies, and therapeutic strategies lack validated clinical trial evidence in the abstract.

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