Gut microbiome signatures of vegan, vegetarian and omnivore diets and associated health outcomes across 21,561 individuals

As plant-based diets gain traction, interest in their impacts on the gut microbiome is growing. However, little is known about diet-pattern-specific metagenomic profiles across populations. Here we considered 21,561 individuals spanning 5 independent, multinational, human cohorts to map how differences in diet pattern (omnivore, vegetarian and vegan) are reflected in gut microbiomes. Microbial profiles distinguished these common diet patterns well (mean AUC = 0.85). Red meat was a strong driver of omnivore microbiomes, with corresponding signature microbes (for example, Ruminococcus torques, Bilophila wadsworthia and Alistipes putredinis) negatively correlated with host cardiometabolic health. Conversely,…

• GO
  Government of the United Kingdom
• UR
  UK Research and Innovation

  Award: 101084642
• EC
  European Commission

  Awards: 101152592, ECS00000043, 716575, 964590, 825410, 101045015, 818368, MASTER-818368, 101084642
• EC
  European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Award: 1U01CA230551
• HE
  HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme

  Awards: 101084642, 818368
• NC
  National Cancer Institute

  Award: 1U01CA230551