Gut Bacteria May Play a Role in Weight Gain

Researchers at The Washington University St. Louis Medical School have been studying the bacteria within the human gut. The researchers point out that trillions of bacteria live in our gut. And although the set of bacteria in the gut is unique to each individual, there are bacteria common to all people. These bacteria perform specific activities, including the extraction of calories from food.

Further, it is felt that the environment plays an early role in determining the original makeup of these bacteria. This leads to the possibility that where we live can determine, to some extent, the composition of the bacteria we have in our gut.

After performing DNA analysis, the researchers found that obese persons had some 300 more bacterial gene representations in their body than did non-obese persons. And many of these additional bacteria are responsible for extracting calories from the food we eat.

Since the environment appears to play a role in the composition of our gut bacteria, looking at the environment as an important factor in obesity may be a worthwhile endeavor. And just as we rate cities as more healthy or less healthy, depending on the pollutants in a city's air, we may even be able to rate a city based on obesity-conducive elements in the city's environment.

Of course, more study will enable the researchers to determine what these environmental elements are. This determination could lead to the creation of treatment and counseling services to address these elements. And bariatric or weight loss centers could offer these services to help combat the effects of obesity-conducive environmental elements.

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Tags: strategic management, bariatric center, environmental scanning, marketing, competitive advantage