You’ve probably heard a lot about gut health recently, words like probiotics, gut bacteria and the microbiome are hitting the health headlines on a regular basis. But did you know that poor gut health has direct links with obesity?
According to our latest report, Gut Health and weight loss, gut health and obesity go hand in hand. Poor-quality diets contribute to an unhealthy gut which can result in symptoms such as bloating, frequent heart burn, abdominal pain and constipation, and people who are overweight or obese are more likely to experience these symptoms. Although people often think that they can improve their gut health by eating a tub of yogurt each day the current science suggest that it might take a little more than that.
Symptoms of gut health
A weighty reminder
So why all the hype around gut health? Firstly, the gut is a major gateway to the rest of the body but it plays much more than just a supporting role in health and wellbeing – it is vital for keeping other body systems functioning optimally. The gut connects with other organs, including the brain, and has major input into the control of metabolism, inflammatory responses and immune system function. With fifty per cent of Australians experiencing digestive upsets and one in seven experiencing distressing gut symptoms affecting their quality of life, gut health is clearly quite a big deal.
The typical Australian diet can compromise gut function and health, in particular because of its low fibre content and lack of fibre diversity. Australians’ diets are also commonly rich in fat and protein, which in the context of low fibre intake, upsets the gut’s delicate microbial balance (“dysbiosis”), reducing the abundance and diversity of beneficial bacterial populations and increasing numbers of potentially harmful ones.
Maintaining gut health can assist weight loss
We’ve got the guts to tackle obesity
To help combat the rise of gut health related illness, we’ve launched a new Total Wellbeing Diet for Gut Health program which includes a higher fibre menu plan, combined with protein and low GI carbohydrates which are important for appetite control. Fibre is important as it helps to keep the gut healthy and has the capacity to aid laxation, reduce blood cholesterol and lower blood glucose. Thanks fibre!
So I think we have established that fibre is your friend, but just in case you need further convincing, here are a few additional benefits of consuming more fibre.
- Fibre rich foods are lower in kilojoules which can help reduce energy absorption
- Helps you feel full, curbing the risk of overeating
- Feeds good gut bacteria which produce products that are vital for normal gut function
The online program provides people with delicious new recipes focused on fibre diversity to improve gut microbiota and support weight loss and wellbeing. This scientifically-validated healthy eating plan combined with exercise is an effective way to improve your overall health and wellbeing. It’s suitable for people who experience gut health symptoms and are struggling with their weight.
8th February 2019 at 12:26 am
My wife is always skinny regardless of what she eats and I maintain my wait (a bit above healthy) through being extra careful with what I eat as well as a lot exercise.
We eat the same at meals and she snack all sorts of bad things outside of meal times. A healthy diet doesn’t hurt either of us, so I don’t see why David can’t eat healthy and his partner follow suit.
There’s more to health than just the waste line. My wife lost her gall bladder years ago because of excess cheese consumption and now her liver is suffering due to excess alcohol consumption, neither of which I’ve experienced because I indulge in neither of them.
Re gut health, my wife is always constipated and goes every 2-3 days and has real smelly stools so obviously some interesting bugs growing there. I (except due to medication of late) have almost no smell in my stools and go once a day. We obviously have very different gut flora so the question as to to what constitutes a good diet (for your gut flora) I believe is a long way from being understood fully.
7th February 2019 at 11:20 am
How I get annoyed at seeing representations of young slim people on weight loss adverts who clearly have no need to diet. At age 66 I have been fighting the fat since menopause ! and believe me, at age 25 I was skinny !!! Why not show older men and women ? It is harder for many reasons to shake off the fat or to keep it off the older one gets ! Come on CSIRO – I would gladly offer my belly as a canvas for artwork on one of your promotions – I no longer need to look slim, fit and toned and wrinkle-free – I’ve been there, done that and worn the tea-shirt even though my scientific son would agree with your “scientifically-validated healthy eating plan” because at age 66, and unless someone comes up with another pill to buck up my metabolism, I will take my chances with my body ageing gracefully, if a little flabby !
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5th January 2019 at 2:52 am
What if your partner is over-weight, but you are not? Or vice-versa?
There is a social aspect to dietary change that needs to be taken into consideration as well.
I’m over-weight, so I need to eat more of this and less of that, or whatever. My partner who isn’t has to eat what I eat as well, otherwise I have to cook two different types of meals, or we eat or snack differently.
3rd January 2019 at 12:17 pm
how come your link doesn’t go to a quiz?