A contributory citizen science project reveals the impact of dietary keys to microbiome health in Spain

Abstract

Low consumption of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables has been identified as dietary risks for non-communicable diseases such as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). We explore how individual and lifestyle factors influence these risks by shaping gut microbiome composition. 1001 healthy participants from all Spanish regions provided personal and dietary data at baseline, six, and twelve months, yielding 2475 responses. Gut microbiome data were analyzed for 500 healthy participants and 321 IBD patients. Our findings reveal that adherence to national dietary guidelines—characterized by diets rich in nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables—was associated with greater microbial diversity and reduced IBD-related dysbiosis. Finally, we observed variations in dietary patterns and microbiome diversity and composition across age groups, genders, regions, seasons, and transit time. This study is among the first to uncover dietary intake associated with IBD-related dysbiosis and to propose an interactive website for participants (https://manichanh.vhir.org/POP/en).