RESEARCH Differences in gut microbi c

Full list of author information is available at the end of the articleBackground Although there is evidence that the prevalence of child-hood obesity is stabilising at different levels in different countries [1], the number of children and adolescents being overweight or obese is still dramatically high [2,3]. The major concern is that these children are at high risk of developing severe co-morbidities such as metabolic syndrome, non-alcohol fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus and premature cardiovascular diseases [4,5]. Moreover, obese children are highly prone to become obese adults, especially when having a high body mass index (BMI) or an obese parent [6,7]. In order to combat childhood obesity and related complications, prevention is crucial. At the moment, the most important strategies to manage childhood obesity are therapeutic lifestyle changes, such as changing dietary habits and the phys