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. 2024 Apr 17;17(1):91.
doi: 10.1186/s12920-024-01861-3.

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet can beneficially affect the gut microbiota composition: a systematic review

Armin Khavandegar  1   2 , Ali Heidarzadeh  3 , Pooneh Angoorani  3 , Shirin Hasani-Ranjbar  4 , Hanieh-Sadat Ejtahed #  5 , Bagher Larijani  3 , Mostafa Qorbani #  6
Affiliations

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet can beneficially affect the gut microbiota composition: a systematic review

Armin Khavandegar et al. BMC Med Genomics. .

Abstract

Aim: Dietary patterns could have a notable role in shaping gut microbiota composition. Evidence confirms the positive impact of the Mediterranean diet (MD), as one of the most studied healthy dietary patterns, on the gut microbiota profile. We conducted this systematic review to investigate the results of observational studies and clinical trials regarding the possible changes in the gut microbiota composition, metabolites, and clinical outcomes following adherence to MD in healthy cases or patients suffering from metabolic disorders.

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases until October 2023. Two researchers separately screened the titles, abstracts, and then full-text of the articles and selected the relevant studies. Quality assessment of observational and interventional studies was performed by Newcastle-Ottawa and Cochrane checklists, respectively.

Results: A total of 1637 articles were obtained during the initial search. Ultimately, 37 articles, including 17 observational and 20 interventional studies, were included in this systematic review. Ten observational and 14 interventional studies reported a correlation between MD adherence and microbiota diversity. Faecalibacterium and Prevotella were the most frequent bacterial genera with increased abundance in both observational and interventional studies; an Increment of Bacteroides genus was also reported in observational studies. Better glycemic control, lowering fat mass, better bowel movement, decreased bloating, inflammation, and hospitalization risk were the reported clinical outcomes.

Conclusion: Adherence to the MD is associated with significant beneficial changes in the gut microbiota diversity, composition, and functions and major clinical improvements in most populations.

Keywords: Dietary intervention; Gut microbiota; Mediterranean diet.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) for included articles in the current study
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
One main finding of each observational study included in the current study
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
One main finding of each interventional study included in the current study
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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