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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #332832
Research Project: Pediatric Clinical Nutrition

Location: Children's Nutrition Research Center

Title: The effect of dietary resistant starch type 2 on the microbiota and markers of gut inflammation in rural Malawi children

Author
item ORDIZ, M ISABEL - Washington University
item MAY, THADDAEUS - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item MIHINDUKULASURIYA, KATHIE - Washington University
item MARTIN, JOHN - Washington University
item CROWLEY, JAN - Washington University
item TARR, PHILLIP - Washington University
item RYAN, KELSEY - Washington University
item MORTIMER, ELISSA - Flinders University
item GOPALSAMY, GEETHA - Flinders University
item MALETA, KEN - Washington University School Of Medicine
item MITREVA, MAKEDONKA - Washington University
item YOUNG, GRAEME - Flinders University
item MANARY, MARK - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)

Submitted to: Microbiome
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/12/2015
Publication Date: 9/3/2015
Citation: Ordiz, M.I., May, T.D., Mihindukulasuriya, K., Martin, J., Crowley, J., Tarr, P.I., Ryan, K., Mortimer, E., Gopalsamy, G., Maleta, K., Mitreva, M., Young, G., Manary, M.J. 2015. The effect of dietary resistant starch type 2 on the microbiota and markers of gut inflammation in rural Malawi children. BMC Microbiome. 3:37.

Interpretive Summary: Resistant starch from corn is a common processed food additive and decreases gut inflammation in some settings. In this study we tested resistant starch in 3-5 year old Malawian children fed by a doughnut. The extra resistant start did not improve gut health.

Technical Abstract: Resistant starch (RS) decreases intestinal inflammation in some settings. We tested the hypothesis that gut inflammation will be reduced with dietary supplementation with RS in rural Malawian children. Eighteen stunted 3-5-year-old children were supplemented with 8.5 g/day of RS type 2 for 4 weeks. The fecal samples were analyzed for the microbiota, the microbiome, short chain fatty acids, metabolome, and proteins indicative of inflammation before and after the intervention. Subjects served as their own controls. The consumption of RS changed the composition of the microbiota; at the phylum level Actinobacteria increased, while Firmicutes decreased. Among the most prevalent genera, Lactobacillus was increased and Roseburia, Blautia, and Lachnospiracea incertae sedis were decreased. The Shannon H index at the genus level decreased from 2.02 on the habitual diet and 1.76 after the introduction of RS (P < 0.01). Fecal acetate concentration decreased, and fecal propionate concentration increased after RS administration (-5.2 and 2.0 micromole/g, respectively). Fecal calprotectin increased from 29 +/- 69 to 89 +/- 49 microgram/g (P = 0.003) after RS was given. The lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis pathway was upregulated. Our findings do not support the hypothesis that RS reduces gut inflammation in rural Malawian children.