Diet and gut microbiome in healthy Spanish adults

Background</p><p>The Global Burden of Disease 2017 (GBD-2017) study identified high sodium intake,</p><p>low whole grain intake, and low fruit consumption as key dietary risk factors for non-</p><p>communicable diseases (NCDs). We hypothesize that individual characteristics and</p><p>lifestyle factors influence these dietary risks, thereby modulating the composition of the</p><p>gut bacterial and fungal communities.</p><p>Methods</p><p>From 2020 to 2024, we enrolled 1001 participants from four Spanish regions. Participants</p><p>completed a short Food Frequency Questionnaire (sFFQ) at baseline, month six, and</p><p>month 12 (n = 2475). We calculated six distinct eating quality indices (EQIs) and</p><p>analyzed their influence on gut microbiome composition and diversity, alongside</p><p>demographic and lifestyle factors, using Spearman tests and linear regression models.</p><p>Microbial diversity and composition were assessed on baseline samples through shotgun</p><p>sequencing (n = 500).</p><p>Findings</p><p>Age, gender, and geography significantly influenced dietary patterns. Older age and</p><p>healthier diets, particularly high in fruits and vegetables, had increased gut microbiome</p><p>diversity. Compared to the GBD-2017 guidelines, participants consumed less legumes,</p><p>whole grains, and nuts but exceeded recommended red meat and sugar intake levels.</p><p>Faster gut transit time correlated with distinct microbiome profiles and lower diversity.</p><p>Men exhibited poorer dietary habits than women, and regional dietary patterns also</p><p>impacted diet quality and microbiome diversity. Seasonal effects were noted, with higher</p><p>bacterial diversity in summer. Fungal microbiome analysis revealed that healthier diets</p><p>also promoted more diverse and stable fungal communities. Participants can learn about</p><p>the study, their diet and their microbiome here</p><p>(https://manichanh.vhir.org/POP/ username:reviewers password:reviewers)</p><p>Interpretation</p><p>Adherence to national dietary guidelines, particularly the Mediterranean diet, enhances</p><p>gut microbial diversity. Personal, lifestyle, and geographic factors significantly influence</p><p>dietary quality, highlighting the need for targeted interventions. The study suggests that</p><p>improving dietary patterns positively impacts the gut microbiome and overall health in</p><p>Spain.

Classified as human gut / stool shotgun DNA metagenome of adult by deterministic_prior with confidence 0.90. Assay shotgun_dna.

• host external_curation.infant_catalog · “infant triage reason_code age_adult_only”
• body site study.title · “bacterial and fungal gut microbiome Raw sequence”
• body site study.description · “composition of the</p><p> gut bacterial and fungal”
• life stage external_curation.infant_catalog · “infant triage reason_code age_adult_only”
• life stage study.description · “and lower diversity.</p><p> Men exhibited poorer dietary”

497 runs over 497 samples · mean 5.97 Gbp per run (median 5.90 Gbp, total 2,969.18 Gbp; 497 runs with a base count) · layout PAIRED 497 · platform ILLUMINA 497 · models Illumina NovaSeq 6000 (497) · 0% of runs with a Sandpiper profile · first public 2026-07-16 – 2026-07-19

Vega-Abellaneda S first · Dopazo C · Yañez F · Soler Z · Xie Z · Canalda-Baltrons A · Pons-Tarín M · Bilbao I · Manichanh C last · Serrano-Gómez G · Manjón I · Cognard C · Varela E · Noguera-Segura A · Roca-Bosch M · Zaida S · Mayorga L · Maria TC · Natalia B · Francisco G

PRJNA1146994.csv.gz (13.2 KB) · parquet (91.2 KB) — all 497 samples, every field with route and confidence · PRJNA1146994_determinations.csv.gz (25.4 KB) — 4,473 evidence rows