Effects of Probiotic and Dietary lnterventions on Gut Microbiota and Weight Loss in obese children

In recent years, childhood obesity has emerged as a major global public health challenge, with its pathogenesis closely linked to gut microbiota dysbiosis and metabolic dysfunction. Although existing studies suggest that specific probiotic strains can effectively improve key indicators such as BMI, waist circumference, and visceral fat area in obese children, their efficacy exhibits significant strain specificity and inter-individual variability. Currently, there remains a lack of high-quality scientific evidence regarding the effectiveness of probiotic interventions and personalized treatment protocols, necessitating further rigorously designed randomized controlled trials. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis ProSci-246 on school-aged obese children and its impact on gut microbiota through cohort and clinical trial analyses. The research comprised two phases: first, 50 obese children and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled to analyze gut microbiota structure and functional differences via fecal metagenomic sequencing. Second, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted, in which 112 eligible obese children were randomly assigned to either a probiotic group or a placebo group , alongside dietary guidance, for a 3-month intervention. Ultimately, 95 children completed the trial (probiotic group: n=44; placebo group: n=51). Anthropometric parameters (height, weight, waist/hip circumference, grip strength), body composition, fasting venous blood (for biochemical profiling), and fecal samples (for metagenomic sequencing) were collected at baseline and at 1, 2, and 3 months of intervention.