RESEARCH ARTICLE Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Research 1 (3) 2012, 45-50 * Corresponding author: Dr. Mini Sheth | Email: mkss7@hotmail.com Page45 Page45 Page45 Page45 ISSN: 2279 - 0594 Colonization of Beneficial Microflora in the GUT of Indian Adult Females (35-50 yrs) as Affected by Dietary Fibre Intakes. Short Running Title: Gut Health and Dietary Fiber *Mini Sheth, Swati Parnami & Mitali Bhinde Department of Foods and Nutrition, Faculty of Family and community sciences, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Vadodara. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Probiotics and prebiotics have recently been recognized as important functional foods that enhance the establishment of beneficial bacteria in the human gut which helps in the prevention of life threatening disease. In view of this, the present study was undertaken to study the consumption pattern of prebiotic and probiotic foods and determining the gut health of normal adult females (35-50 yrs) of Urban Vadodara. METHODS: The consumption pattern of prebiotic and probiotic foods were studied using food frequency questionnaire and seven day estimated record method. Subjects were identified with frequent and least frequent intakes of these foods and their stool samples were analyzed and enumerated for beneficial micro organisms i.e. Bifidobacterium and Lactic acid bacteria and pathogenic micro organisms i.e. E. coli and Bacteriodes. RESULTS: Young adult females were found to have a frequent consumption of prebiotic and probiotic foods. Subjects taking curd more frequently reported lower occurrence of constipation and higher occurrence of flatulence. High consumption of dietary fibre also significantly increased the occurrence of flatulence. Results revealed that high consumption of onion and garlic did not significantly affect the occurrence of constipation and flatulence. Subjects consuming dietary fibre frequently showed higher counts of beneficial micro organisms and less of the pathogenic micro organisms. CONCLUSION: Consumption of more than 10 prebiotic and probiotic foods at least weekly helps to establish significantly higher number of beneficial micro organisms and decreased colonization of pathogenic micro organisms. KEYWORDS: Constipation, Dietary fibre, Flatulence, Gut health, Probiotics, Prebiotics INTRODUCTION: Due to increasing urbanization globally, there has been an alarming "nutrition transition" with an increasing consumption of processed and refined foods and a clear shift from a diet rich in fiber, minerals and vitamins towards one rich in energy, saturated fats and cholesterol 1 . This has lead to an increase in the incidence of various chronic diseases of middle and later adult life. Several health benefits of dietary fibre many of which are prebiotics and probiotics have been documented in the literature such as improved lactose tolerance, supply of SCFA as energy substrates for the host bacteria , antitumor properties, neutralization of certain toxins, stimulation of the intestinal immune system and reduction of blood lipid levels 2,3 . But little research investigating the frequency of its consumption in Indian population has been published. The aim of this study was to investigate the consumption pattern of probiotics and dietary fibre rich foods and determine the gut health of normal adult females (35-50 ys) in terms of beneficial microflora namely the Lactic acid bacteria and Bifidobacterium. METHODS AND MATERIALS: STUDY DESIGN AND SELECTION OF SUBJECTS: Hundred normal adult females (35-50 yrs) willing to participate in the study were selected from four different zones of urban Baroda using purposive sampling technique. Permission to undertake the study was obtained from the institute and approval was also sought from the institutional ethics committee of The M.S. University of Baroda (F.C.Sc./FND/ME 27) dated 25.10.07. Written informed consent was obtained from every subject who participated in this study. BASELINE AND SES SURVEY: A survey was carried out to obtain the data pertaining to socio-economic status (name, age, type of family, total number of family members, religion, total family monthly income, marital status), physical activity pattern, anthropometric measurements and past morbidity profile using a pretested semi structured questionnaire. The activity pattern was studied with the help of a checklist of light, moderate and heavy activities and the subjects were classified into sedentary, moderate and heavy workers 4 . For Past morbidity profiles, responses on the