Breath test might predict obesity risk ("But the science is not there yet, experts cautioned.")

http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/21795222/breath-test-might-predict-obesity-risk

Breath test might predict obesity risk

By Denise Mann
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, March 26 (HealthDay News) -- A simple breath test may be able to tell if you are overweight or will be in the future, a new study suggests.

According to the findings, results from a standard breath test used to assess bacterial overgrowth in the gut can also tell doctors if you have a high percentage of body fat.

The microbiome, or the trillions of good and bad bugs that line your gut, can get out of balance. When bad bacteria overwhelm good bacteria, symptoms such as bloating, constipation and diarrhea may occur. The new study, appearing in the April issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, suggests that this scenario may also set someone up for obesity.

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But the science is not there yet, experts cautioned.

"This is an important study looking at bacteria in the intestine and how they are related to BMI," said Dr. Spyros Mezitis, an endocrinologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "The more methane and hydrogen in the breath, the higher the body fat." But, "we need more studies to figure out how bacteria is related to the growing obesity epidemic and what happens if we modify it," Mezitis said.