Abstract
Obesity among young adults, especially those living in developing countries is increasing. A high body mass index (BMI) is one of the major causes of several diseases worldwide, constituting an important risk factor for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Investigations describing the relationship between BMI, clinical and gut microbiota characteristics and lifestyle factors of overweight young adults, especially from Southeast Asian countries are limited. Metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers, fecal microbiota profiles and lifestyle factors were compared between overweight Thai young adults (n = 30, mean age 33 ± 9.48) and those with normal weight (n = 30, mean age 27 ±7.50). This study was registered with the Thai Clinical Trials Registry (TCTR20220204007). Health status including body composition, fasting glucose and insulin, lipid profiles, liver and kidney function, inflammatory biomarkers, blood pressure and fecal microbiota using 16S rRNA gene sequencing data was determined. Dietary intake was assessed using a 3-day dietary record and a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), with physical activity levels compared using the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ). The overweight group had significantly higher BMI, waist-hip ratio, body fat mass, % body fat, skeletal mass, triglyceride level, C-reactive protein, insulin and blood pressure, with lower levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and blood urea nitrogen compared to the normal weight group. Significant differences in fecal microbiota composition at the family and genus levels were observed between the two groups. In our clinical setting, we also observed that unhealthy diets with high consumption of food rich in fat and sugar, processed meat and alcohol, and physical inactivity were associated with an increased prevalence of overweight in Thai young adults. Results provided the big picture of health and lifestyle characteristics of overweight young Thai people. Young adults should be encouraged to engage in health-promoting activities that maintain healthy bodyweight.