Effect of Prebiotic Intake on Adiposity, Satiety and Gut Microbiota in Overweight and Obese Children

Currently, over one third of Canadian children and youth aged five to seventeen are overweight or obese. Childhood obesity leads to increased risks of co-morbidities such as type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancers. Changes in the food supply have been linked to obesity and include a decrease in the intake of dietary fiber. Prebiotic fibers are a group of non-digestible carbohydrates that modulate the composition and actions of the gut microbiota and have been shown to reduce body fat and energy intake in overweight and obese adults. The investigators hypothesis is that prebiotic fiber intake in overweight and obese children will similarly result in improvements in body composition and reduced energy intake.