Associations Between Physical Activity and Gut Microbiota Composition in Adults With Overweight and Obesity

OBJECTIVES: To assess whether physical activity (PA) volume and intensities are associated with differences in the gut microbiota composition or short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) profile of adults with overweight or obesity. METHODS: PA data and fecal samples collected pre-intervention for the Persea americana for Total Health (PATH) study were used to assess cross-sectional correlations between PA and gut microbiota composition. Adults between 25 and 45 years of age with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m(2) were enrolled. Gut microbiota composition was assessed with 16S rRNA gene sequencing. PA was measured with a hip-worn ActiGraph wGT3X-BT accelerometer. PA volume was defined as total activity counts and light-to-vigorous PA per day. Sedentary time was defined as < 100 counts per minute (CPM; sedentary). PA intensities were defined as: ≥100 < 2020 (light), ≥2020 < 5999 (moderate), and ≥ 5999 (vigorous) CPM, and expressed in min/day. Correlations between PA and gut microbiota composition were assessed using linear mixed models. K-means clustering was used to categorize participants based on PA and determine whether gut microbiota composition was significantly different between clusters using Analysis of Compositions of Microbiomes with Bias Correction (ANCOM-BC) and DESeq2. RESULTS: Data for both PA and gut microbiota composition were available for 124 participants. PA intensity was not correlated with differences in gut microbiota composition. PA volume and sedentary time were correlated with differences in gut microbiota composition and SCFA concentrations. Clustering of individuals based on PA resulted in two clusters. Cluster 2 (n = 33) displayed lower PA than Cluster 1 (n = 91). Clusters showed no significant differences in alpha or beta diversity, but Cluster 2 had higher levels of Akkermansia and displayed significant differences in SCFA profile. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis suggests that PA volume is associated with the gut microbiota composition and SCFA profile of adults with overweight and obesity. Future studies should investigate these associations in a broader population of adults with a wider range of BMI and PA to better understand how PA may influence the human gut microbiota and health. FUNDING SOURCES: Hass Avocado Board and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.