Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41345102›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Faecal metabolites as a readout of habitual diet capture dietary interactions with the gut microbiome.

Robert Pope, Alessia Visconti, Xinyuan Zhang, Panayiotis Louca, Andrei-Florin Baleanu, Yu Lin, Francesco Asnicar, Kate Bermingham, Kari E Wong, Gregory A Michelotti and 8 more

Abstract readTwin Study
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors.

Robert PopeDepartment of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-2786-6924
Alessia ViscontiDepartment of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4144-2019
Xinyuan ZhangDepartment of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, UK.
Panayiotis LoucaDepartment of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5956-1433
Andrei-Florin BaleanuDepartment of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, UK.
Yu LinDepartment of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4720-6260
Francesco AsnicarDepartment CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy.
Kate BerminghamDepartment of Nutritional Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
Kari E WongMetabolon, Research Triangle Park, Morrisville, NC, USA.
Gregory A MichelottiMetabolon, Research Triangle Park, Morrisville, NC, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3936-4675
Jonathan WolfZoe Limited, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0530-2257
Nicola SegataDepartment CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1583-5794
Sarah E BerryDepartment of Nutritional Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5819-5109
Tim D SpectorDepartment of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9795-0365
Emily R LeemingDepartment of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, UK.
Rachel GibsonDepartment of Nutritional Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
Cristina MenniDepartment of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9790-0571
Mario FalchiDepartment of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, UK. mario.falchi@kcl.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5646-1004

Funding

Chronic Disease Research Foundation (CDRF) 27/2023Wellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The interplay between diet and gut microbiome composition is complex. Faecal metabolites, the end products of human and microbial metabolism, provide insights into these interactions. Here, we integrate faecal metabolomics, metagenomics, and habitual dietary data from 1810 individuals from the TwinsUK and 837 from the ZOE PREDICT1 cohorts. Using machine learning models, we find that faecal metabolites accurately predict reported intakes of 20 food groups (area under the curve (AUC) > 0.80 for meat, nuts and seeds, wholegrains, tea and coffee, and alcohol) and adherence to seven dietary patterns (AUC from 0.71 for the Plant-based Diet Index to 0.83 for the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension score). Notably, the faecal metabolome is a stronger predictor of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk (AUC = 0.86) than the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension score (AUC = 0.66). We identify 414 associations between 19 food groups and 211 metabolites, that significantly correlate with microbial α-diversity and 217 species. Our findings reveal that faecal metabolites capture mediations between diet and the gut microbiome, advancing our understanding of diet-related disease risk and informing metabolite-based interventions.

Indexed as

DietFecesGastrointestinal MicrobiomeAdultAgedFemaleHumansMachine LearningMaleMetabolomeMetabolomicsMetagenomicsMiddle Aged

Identifiers

PMID41345102
PMCPMC12678775

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.