Effects of intermittent fasting and physical exercise on modulation of the gut microbiota, energy metabolism and inflammatory cytokines in Obesity

Obesity and overweight affect about 2 billion people worldwide. Despite the increasing prevalence, the treatment of Obesity is still an obscure field, and the impacts of this disease on the clinical and public health perspective are emergency. Studies have demonstrated a fundamental role of the gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of Obesity and discussed the impacts of diet and exercise on the profile of the microbiome. However, the mechanisms involved in these processes, related to strategies such as intermittent fasting associated with physical training, are still little explored and understood. It is believed that intermittent fasting associated with physical training may remodel the composition and function of the gut microbiota and, that the present research is a promising strategy in the prevention and treatment of Obesity. Methods: The study will include 60 obese women who will be randomly divided into three groups: 1) the intermittent fasting group, submitted to diet for 8 weeks (n = 20); 2) the physical training group, submitted to physical training for 8 weeks (n = 20); and 3) intermittent fasting group associated to physical training, submitted to both interventions for 8 weeks (n = 20). All volunteers will collect and evaluate (pre and post-intervention) anthropometry, dietary intake, indirect calorimetry to evaluate the energy expenditure at rest, BodPod body composition, blood collection for biochemical analysis, urine for nitrogen balance analysis, feces collection for the analysis of the gut microbiota and physical tests (Shuttle Walking Test, multiple repetition test and functional strength and dynamometry) for the groups with exercise. Outcomes: The synergistic effects of the proposed intervention are expected to improve gut microbiota and metabolic parameters in obese women.