Food security and diet-related factors associated with gut microbiota composition and diversity in human populations: a systematic literature review
5 affiliations
- 1Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Study Program of Nutrition, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences Surabaya, East Java, 60213
- 2Universitas Airlangga, Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Public Health Surabaya,Jawa Timur, 60115
- 3IPB University, Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Human Ecology Bogor, Jawa Barat, 16680
- 4University of Singaperbangsa Karawang, Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences Karawang, Jawa Barat, 41361
- 5Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Department of Sports Coaching Education, Faculty of Sports and Health Science Surabaya, East Java 60213
Abstract
One of the key roles of the gut microbiota is to maintain human health. Food security, including diet-related factors such as diet quality, food access, and socioeconomic conditions, may influence dietary intake and, consequently, gut microbiota composition. This systematic review aimed to synthesize evidence from studies in human populations regarding the associations of food security and diet-related factors with gut microbiota diversity and composition. A literature search was conducted in the PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Crossref, and Semantic Scholar databases for articles published between 2005 and 2025, following the PRISMA guidelines. The review included observational and interventional studies in humans that directly assessed food security status or used related indicators, such as diet quality, dietary patterns, and socioeconomic status, and reported findings on gut microbiota diversity or composition based on sequencing analysis. A total of 20 studies met the inclusion criteria. In general, studies that directly assessed food security reported differences in gut microbiota diversity and composition between groups with different levels of food security. Other studies using diet-related factors showed that higher-quality diets, particularly those rich in plant foods and fiber, were associated with greater microbiota diversity and a higher abundance of short-chain fatty acid – producing bacteria. Meanwhile, low-quality diets or limited access to food were often associated with less diverse microbiota and a predominance of opportunistic bacteria. These findings varied across age groups and geographic contexts, with the majority of evidence coming from observational studies. In conclusion, this systematic review demonstrates associations of food security and diet-related factors with gut microbiota diversity and composition in human populations. However, heterogeneity in the definitions of food security, variations in microbiota assessment methods, and limitations in study designs require cautious interpretation of the results. Longitudinal and experimental studies using standardized measures of food security are needed to strengthen the existing evidence.
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BibTeX
@article{nurwati2026food,
title = {{Food security and diet-related factors associated with gut microbiota composition and diversity in human populations: a systematic literature review}},
author = {Y. Nurwati and R. Diana and H. Hardinsyah and R. Anggraini and C.A. Nur Afifah and R. Ismawati and A.M. Fikri and A. Pranoto},
journal = {Medičnì Perspektivi},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.26641/2307-0404.2026.3.375439},
url = {https://doi.org/10.26641/2307-0404.2026.3.375439},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Food security and diet-related factors associated with gut microbiota composition and diversity in human populations: a systematic literature review
AU - Y. Nurwati
AU - R. Diana
AU - H. Hardinsyah
AU - R. Anggraini
AU - C.A. Nur Afifah
AU - R. Ismawati
AU - A.M. Fikri
AU - A. Pranoto
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/01
JO - Medičnì Perspektivi
DO - 10.26641/2307-0404.2026.3.375439
UR - https://doi.org/10.26641/2307-0404.2026.3.375439
AB - One of the key roles of the gut microbiota is to maintain human health. Food security, including diet-related factors such as diet quality, food access, and socioeconomic conditions, may influence dietary intake and, consequently, gut microbiota composition. This systematic review aimed to synthesize evidence from studies in human populations regarding the associations of food security and diet-related factors with gut microbiota diversity and composition. A literature search was conducted in the PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Crossref, and Semantic Scholar databases for articles published between 2005 and 2025, following the PRISMA guidelines. The review included observational and interventional studies in humans that directly assessed food security status or used related indicators, such as diet quality, dietary patterns, and socioeconomic status, and reported findings on gut microbiota diversity or composition based on sequencing analysis. A total of 20 studies met the inclusion criteria. In general, studies that directly assessed food security reported differences in gut microbiota diversity and composition between groups with different levels of food security. Other studies using diet-related factors showed that higher-quality diets, particularly those rich in plant foods and fiber, were associated with greater microbiota diversity and a higher abundance of short-chain fatty acid – producing bacteria. Meanwhile, low-quality diets or limited access to food were often associated with less diverse microbiota and a predominance of opportunistic bacteria. These findings varied across age groups and geographic contexts, with the majority of evidence coming from observational studies. In conclusion, this systematic review demonstrates associations of food security and diet-related factors with gut microbiota diversity and composition in human populations. However, heterogeneity in the definitions of food security, variations in microbiota assessment methods, and limitations in study designs require cautious interpretation of the results. Longitudinal and experimental studies using standardized measures of food security are needed to strengthen the existing evidence.
SN - 2307-0404
SN - 2786-4804
ER -