Obesity is a rapidly growing problem of public health on a worldwide scale, responsible for more than 60% of deaths associated with high body mass index. Recent studies underpinned the augmenting importance of the gut microbiota in obesity. Gut microbiota alterations affect the energy balance of the host organism; namely, as a factor affecting energy production from the diet and as a factor affecting host genes regulating energy expenditure and storage. Gut microbiota composition is characterised by constant variability, and is affected by several dietary factors, suggesting the probability that manipulation of the gut microbiota may promote leaning or prevent obesity. Our narrative review summarizes the results of recent years that stress the effect of gut microbiota in the development of obesity. It investigates the factors (diet, dietary components, lifestyle, and environment) that might affect the gut microbiota composition. Possible strategies for the prevention and/or treatment of obesity include restoring or modifying the composition of the microbiota by consuming prebiotics and probiotics, fermented foods, fruits, vegetables, and avoiding foods of animal origin high in saturated fat and sugar.

Plant-based diets are becoming more popular for many reasons, and epidemiological as well as clinical data also suggest that a well-balanced vegan diet can be adopted for the prevention, and in some cases, in the treatment of many diseases. In this narrative review, we provide an overview of the relationships between these diets and various conditions and their potential biochemical background. As whole plant foods are very rich in food-derived antioxidants and other phytochemicals, they have many positive physiological effects on different aspects of health. In the background of the beneficial health effects, several biochemical processes could stand, including the reduced formation of trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) or decreased serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels and altered signaling pathways such as mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR). In addition, the composition of plant-based diets may play a role in preventing lipotoxicity, avoiding N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), and reducing foodborne endotoxin intake. In this article, we attempt to draw attention to the growing knowledge about these diets and provide starting points for further research.

Artificial sweeteners are widely used all over the world. They may assist in weight management, prevention of dental caries, control of blood glucose of diabetics, and also can be used to replace sugar in foods. In the animal experimentation mice were given oral doses of water solutions of table top artificial sweeteners (saccharin, cyclamate based, acesulfame-K based, and aspartame) the amount of maximum Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) ad libitum. The controls received only tap water with the same drinking conditions as the treated groups. The mice were fed chow ad libilum. We measured food intake and body weight once a week, water and solutions of artificial sweeteners intake twice a week. The data were analysed by statistical methods (T-probe, regression analysis). Consumption of sweeteners resulted in significantly increased body weight; however, the food intake did not change. These results question the effect of non-caloric artificial sweeteners on weight-maintenance or body weight decrease.

Health and sustainability problems have become a central theme in dialogue in both the scientific community and the public. Our individual choices have a profound, advantageous or disadvantageous impact on our health; the same can be said about our environmental footprint. In this area, we can also make decisions that affect the physical environment positively or negatively. Our narrative review aims to demonstrate that healthy plant-based choices in our diet are linked to choices beneficial for our environment and that these two seemingly distant aspects converge in the context of plant-based diets. We have collected, compared and discussed the results of life cycle analysis (LCA) articles on the current state of the effect of food choice on our environment. Furthermore, we would like to show the opportunities and constraints of implementing plant-based diets.

Plant-based diet is an old-new trend in nutrition. In this review based on a historical context, we wish to introduce this popular nutritional trend. Our aim is to present plant-based diet as a primary measure for prevention. We intend to critically analyse some past stereotypes related to plant-based diet – whose main components include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds – according to the literature (e.g. protein, vitamin B₁₂, folic acid, and iron intake) by doing so we wish to create an adequate conceptual basis for its interpretation. We discuss positive physiological effects of plant-based diet and its possible role in diseases risk reduction. Cardiovascular and metabolic diseases developing due to obesity could be prevented by a properly compiled plant-based diet. For patients with cancer minimizing the intake of foods of animal origin – as opposed to plant-based ones – has proved to have positive effects. Our review suggests this diet can be used in a number of diseases and it also provides long-term sustainable solutions for the health care challenges of the newest era. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(47), 1859–1865.