Synergistic Effects of Bifidobacterium longum and Fructooligosaccharides on Gut Microbiota: An In Vitro Study for School-Aged Children with Obesity

The increasing prevalence of obesity in school-aged children has highlighted the growing interest in the role of the gut microbiota in diet-related obesity. Emerging evidence increasingly supports its central involvement. Probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics have each shown unique benefits for individuals with obesity by modulating the gut microbiota. However,in vivo studies investigating their effects are often challenged by significant individual dietary differences, making it difficult to accurately determine the true impact of these interventions. In this study, we used an in vitro fermentation model to directly compare the regulatory effects of Bifidobacterium longum, fructooligosaccharides (FOS), and their combination on the gut microbiota.