The DIME Study
Dietary BIoactives and Microbiome DivErsity
RECRUITMENT FOR THIS STUDY IS NOW CLOSED
Food and Health researchers at the Quadram Institute are looking for participants aged between 18 and 65 with no known medical conditions to take part in the DIME Study (Dietary Bioactives and Microbiome Diversity).
Our guts are home to trillions of microorganisms called the microbiota. They can break down fibre and substances known as phytochemicals or plant bioactives found in fruits and vegetables, into compounds that are beneficial to us. Some examples of plant bioactives are carotenoids, found in pigmented foods like tomatoes, sulphur-containing metabolites, found in foods like broccoli, and polyphenols, which are abundant in fruits such as berries. These bioactives are thought to alter the composition of the gut microbiota and have a positive effect on our immune system and overall metabolic health.
The Quadram Institute will be running the DIME study to provide us with a better understanding of the relationship between diets rich in plant bioactives and our microbiome, and how this affects metabolic factors such as glucose, blood lipids and cholesterol levels. DIME study is part of a larger project involving a European consortium of food and nutrition researchers, who are launching an international Data Cloud that will allow easier sharing of data relating to food and the microbiome, and will foster collaborations between scientists working on improving our health.
