Divergence in Gut Microbiome Composition Across Diverse Dietary Patterns

The human gut microbiome plays a crucial role in health and disease, influenced significantly by dietary patterns. This study aims to delineate the variations in gut microbiome composition among individuals adhering to distinct cultural diets. We conducted a comparative analysis on 300 participants across five countries, utilizing 16S rRNA gene sequencing to assess microbial diversity. Participants were grouped based on their adherence to Mediterranean, Omnivorous, Vegetarian, Japanese, and Middle-Eastern diets. Our findings reveal significant differences in both alpha and beta diversity metrics (p < 0.01), with the Mediterranean diet exhibiting the highest microbial diversity. Notably, a higher abundance of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus was observed in vegetarian and Japanese groups respectively, whereas the Middle-Eastern diet showed a unique prevalence of Prevotella. Our study underscores the impact of diet on gut microbial communities and suggests potential dietary modifications to promote microbial diversity and health. These insights can inform nutritional guidelines and therapeutic strategies targeting microbiome-related disorders.