Integrated microbial and endocrine signatures of obesity: Enterobacteriaceae alterations, hormonal profiles, and dietary correlates in adult males.

INTRODUCTION

Obesity is a multifactorial metabolic disorder increasingly associated with alterations in gut microbial composition and endocrine imbalance. In the present study, microbiological analyses were limited to culture-based characterization of facultative anaerobic Enterobacteriaceae. Members of the Enterobacteriaceae family, particularly Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kpn), have been implicated in metabolic endotoxemia and inflammation; however, integrated data combining microbial profiling, metabolic hormones, and dietary patterns in Indian populations remain limited.

METHODS

This case-control observational study involved 49 males (27 obese, 22 normal-weight controls). Anthropometric data were collected, and fasting serum leptin, ghrelin, and insulin were measured via ELISA. Stool samples were cultured for Enterobacteriaceae, identified biochemically, and genotyped using ERIC-PCR. Dietary patterns were evaluated with questionnaires.

RESULTS

Obese participants showed significantly higher BMI, leptin (5.43±0.67 ng/mL), and insulin levels (3.21±0.27 mIU/L) than controls (p<0.05), while ghrelin levels did not differ significantly. Leptin positively correlated with BMI in obese individuals (r=0.423, p=0.028). Microbiological analysis yielded 82 isolates, with Kpn more prevalent among obese (92.86%) than controls (7.14%), whereas Escherichia coli predominated among controls (51.22%). ERIC-PCR demonstrated distinct genetic clusters among isolates. Obese participants also reported higher intake of fast food, refined carbohydrates, and soft drinks, correlating with elevated insulin levels.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest possible associations between Enterobacteriaceae prevalence, metabolic hormones, and dietary patterns in obesity and support microbiota-targeted and dietary interventions.