Plant Based Diet, Ethnicity, and the Gut Microbiome

Plant Based Diet, Ethnicity, and the Gut Microbiome

Samples will be collected to determine human genetic variation, fecal and oral microbial communities, and metabolome products. Several evolutionary and ecological diversity metrics will be distilled to test: a) if microbiome variation within each ethnicity is less than that between ethnicities; b) if microbiome variation is finely structured according to genetic relatedness; and c) if dietary variation impacts human genome x microbiome associations.

To characterize the human gut microbiome under highly controlled dietary intake in healthy normal weight adult participants who differ by ethnicity: White non-Hispanic and Black non-Hispanic adults. Samples will be collected to determine human genetic variation, fecal and oral microbial communities, and metabolome products. Several evolutionary and ecological diversity metrics will be distilled to test: a) if microbiome variation within each ethnicity is less than that between ethnicities; b) if microbiome variation is finely structured according to genetic relatedness; and c) if dietary variation impacts human genome x microbiome associations.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Female
• Age 18-40
• BMI 18.5-24.9
• Caucasian or African American

Exclusion Criteria:

• Not weight stable
• Using Medications
• Using Dietary Supplements
• Chronic Disease
• Tobacco Use
• Drug Use
• Pregnant or Lactating
• Diet Restrictions
• Vegetarian or Vegan