Best Practices and Considerations for Conducting Research on Diet–Gut Microbiome Interactions and Their Impact on Health in Adult Populations: An Umbrella Review
Tatiana Diacova , Christopher J Cifelli , Cindy D Davis , Hannah D Holscher , Mary E Kable , Johanna W Lampe , Marie E Latulippe , Kelly S Swanson , J Philip Karl
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Diet modulates gut microbiome composition and function. However, determining causal links between diet–gut microbiome interactions and human health is complicated by inconsistencies in the evidence, arising partially from variability in research methods and reporting. Widespread adoption of standardized best practices would advance the field but require those practices to be identified, consolidated, and discussed. This umbrella review aimed to identify recommended best practices, define existing gaps, and collate considerations for conducting research on diet–gut microbiome interactions and their impact on human health outcomes. Reviews meeting inclusion criteria and published after 2013 were identified using a systematic search. Recommendations, considerations, and gaps relating to the best practices associated with study design, participant selection, dietary intervention/assessment, biological sample collection, and data analysis and reporting were extracted and consolidated. Eight narrative reviews were included. Several general points of agreement were identified, and a recurring theme was that best practices are dependent upon the research aims, outcomes, and feasibility. Multiple gaps were also identified. Some, such as suboptimal diet assessment methods and lack of validated dietary intake biomarkers, are particularly relevant to nutrition science. Others, including defining a “healthy” gut microbiome and the absence of standardized sample and data collection/analysis protocols, were relevant specifically to gut microbiome research. Gaps specific to diet–gut microbiome research include the underrepresentation of microbiome-modulating dietary components in food databases, lack of knowledge regarding interventions eliciting changes in the gut microbiome to confer health benefits, lack of in situ measurement methods, and the need to further develop and refine statistical approaches for integrating diet and gut microbiome data. Future research and cross-disciplinary exchange will address these gaps and evolve the best practices. In the interim, the best practices and considerations discussed herein, and the publications from which that information was extracted provide a roadmap for conducting diet–gut microbiome research.
This trial was registered at PROSPERO as CRD42023437645.
期刊介绍:
Advances in Nutrition (AN/Adv Nutr) publishes focused reviews on pivotal findings and recent research across all domains relevant to nutritional scientists and biomedical researchers. This encompasses nutrition-related research spanning biochemical, molecular, and genetic studies using experimental animal models, domestic animals, and human subjects. The journal also emphasizes clinical nutrition, epidemiology and public health, and nutrition education. Review articles concentrate on recent progress rather than broad historical developments.
In addition to review articles, AN includes Perspectives, Letters to the Editor, and supplements. Supplement proposals require pre-approval by the editor before submission. The journal features reports and position papers from the American Society for Nutrition, summaries of major government and foundation reports, and Nutrient Information briefs providing crucial details about dietary requirements, food sources, deficiencies, and other essential nutrient information. All submissions with scientific content undergo peer review by the Editors or their designees prior to acceptance for publication.