How the Mediterranean Diet Affects You: Predicting Responses Based on Your Microbiome

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA · Jan 2, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking at how the Mediterranean diet affects people and aims to tailor dietary recommendations based on individual gut bacteria, known as the microbiome. Researchers want to find out if certain types of gut microbes can predict who will benefit most from following this healthy diet compared to a typical Western diet. Participants will receive all their meals and snacks for the study, which will help the team accurately assess how each diet impacts their microbiome.

To join the study, you need to be a healthy adult between the ages of 20 and 50, with a body mass index (BMI) between 20 and 25, and currently not following the Mediterranean diet very closely. You must live in the Okanagan area and have no history of certain health conditions, like diabetes or bowel diseases. If you take antibiotics, have food allergies, or are pregnant or breastfeeding, you won't be eligible. Participants can expect to enjoy meals provided by the study while contributing to important research that could help create personalized diet plans for better health outcomes.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Healthy participants, defined as free from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and hypertension
• • Body Mass Index of 20-25
• • Between the ages 20-50 years
• • Low adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD serving score \[MDSS\] less than 10 points).
• • Must live in the Okanagan area
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Individuals with a self-reported history of irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, Type-2 diabetes, kidney disease, intestinal obstruction, infectious gastroenteritis, colitis or gastritis, Clostridium difficile infection (recurrent) or Helicobacter pylori infection (untreated), malabsorption (such as celiac disease), major surgery of the GI tract, or colorectal cancer
• • Oral antibiotics within three months of the intervention start date
• • Individuals with any known food allergies, reported dietary intolerances of any kind, and those with eating disorders
• • Pregnant or breastfeeding
• • Participants with a high MDSS (\> 10 points)
• • Individuals who are intermittent fasting or refuse to follow the study protocol