Effects of Probiotics in Obese Children

The global obesity epidemic presents an unprecedented challenge to the public health worldwide. The factors associated with obesity are complex, and include health behaviors, such as eating habits and daily physical activity, and broader social, environmental and biological determinants that influence these health behaviors. The intestinal microbiota has several beneficial functions related to host health and accumulating evidence indicates that the gut microbiota plays a significant role in the development of obesity, obesity-associated inflammation and insulin resistance. Experimental studies reveal a shift in the abundance of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. Presumably, obesity affects the diversity of the gut microbiota and, probably, the way individuals harvest energy from nutrients. Differences in community composition, functional genes and metabolic activities of the gut microbiota appear to distinguish lean vs obese individuals, suggesting that gut 'dysbiosis' contributes to the development of obesity and/or its complications. Recent studies have suggested some beneficial effects of probiotics and/or prebiotics on obesity and metabolic syndrome in adults; such experience is limited in children and adolescents. The aim of this study was to evaluate potential effects of add-on probiotics to standard therapy on anthropometric measurements, lipid profile and oxidative stress parameters in children.