Intestinal malabsorption and fructose intolerance in overweight adolescents: relationship to fructose food intake and intestinal microbiota composition

• Grant number: 18/25307-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: November 01, 2019
• End date: April 30, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Maternal and Child Health
• Principal Investigator: Mauro Batista de Morais
• Grantee: Mauro Batista de Morais
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Ana Paula Bidutte Cortez ; Humberto Bezerra de Araujo Filho ; Patrícia da Graça Leite Speridião

Abstract

In the last decades, there is an increasing food of fructose intake, mainly in processed products in the form of corn syrup. The increase in fructose intake is associated with the global increase in the prevalence of obesity and metabolic abnormalities.Non-absorbed fructose may be fermented ("FODMAPs: fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols"). The intestinal absorption of fructose is varied in the population. Non-absorbed fructose, like other FODMAPs, may be associated with gastrointestinal symptoms.Study conducted by our group revealed an association between intestinal malabsorption of fructose and higher values of body mass index. There is the possibility that the unabsorbed fructose may influence the composition of the intestinal microbiota to a microbiome profile that contributes to the development of obesity.The results of this project can support the implementation of public health policies aimed at reducing the consumption of fructose and stimulating the food industry in the development of ingredients with lower risk to human health.Thus, the main objectives of this project, with adolescents with and without obesity are: 1. To evaluate the prevalence of fructose malabsorption and intolerance; 2. Evaluate the fecal microbiota profile according to the presence of fructose malabsorption; 3. Estimate the amount of fructose in the diet according to the presence of fructose malabsorption and obesity; 4 to evaluate the intestinal permeability with the use of serum zonulin. (AU)