476: Exploring the link between gut health and obesity

By now, you are probably aware of just how important the gut microbiome is.  Studies have linked it to playing a role in supporting the immune system, brain health and metabolism. Now, new research from the Universities of Nottingham Trent and Warwick has uncovered yet another potential link between the gut microbiome and our bodies’ metabolic processes.  The research explores endotoxins - bacterial substances present in the gut, and their potential role in increasing the risk of metabolic disorders such as obesity and Type 2 diabetes.  And with the World Obesity Federation predicting more than half of the world’s population will be overweight or obese within 15 years, research like this could be of great importance. So, in this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, we delve into what endotoxins are and what the link is between obesity and the gut. Guest: Thomas Barber, Associate Professor and Honorary Consultant Endocrinologist, University of Warwick and University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire