A Distinct Brain‐Gut‐Microbiome Profile Exists for Females with Obesity and Food Addiction

Background Alterations in brain‐gut‐microbiome interactions have been implicated as an important factor in obesity. This study aimed to explore the relationship between food addiction (FA) and the brain‐gut‐microbiome axis, using a multi‐omics approach involving microbiome data, metabolomics, and brain imaging. Methods Brain magnetic resonance imaging was obtained in 105 females. FA was defined by using the Yale Food Addiction Scale. Fecal samples were collected for sequencing and metabolomics. Statistical analysis was done by using multivariate analyses and machine learning algorithms. Results Of the females with obesity, 33.3% exhibited FA as compared with 5.3% and 0.0% of females with overweight and normal BMI, respectively (P = 0.0001). Based on a multilevel sparse partial least square discriminant analysis, there was a difference in the gut microbiome of females with FA versus those without. Differential abundance testing showed Bacteroides, Megamonas, Eubacterium, and Akkermansia were statistically associated with FA (q