Impact of High Fat Diets, Prebiotics and Probiotics on Gut Microbiota and Immune Function, with Relevance to Elderly Populations

Abstract

According to WHO, the number of people over 60 years of age is set to rise to 2 billion by 2050. Dysbiosis of microbial composition and impaired immune function have been observed in elderly persons compared to younger adults. As a result, the aging population has a higher disease risk than other age groups. In addition, high fat intakes have been observed to exert negative effects on microbial composition and immune function in murine studies. Elderly people have higher fat intakes than recommended levels, and this may make them more vulnerable to disease risk. Therefore, the impact of high fat consumption on elderly populations may be of relevance. Prebiotics and probiotics have been shown to have positive effects on microbiota composition and immune function in the elderly. This review describes aged-related changes in gut microbiome of elderly persons. It will also summarise studies concerning the impact of prebiotics, probiotics and high fat diets on microbiota composition and immune function.