Funding outcome

Childhood obesity is a big problem because it increases the chance of developing conditions that affect blood sugar control at a young age, called insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance is when the body's cells are less sensitive to insulin, making it harder for sugar to be processed. Type 2 diabetes occurs when consistently high levels of blood sugar are present. During childhood, these conditions are more aggressive and harder to treat compared to adults, making it important to find better treatments for teens who are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. To explore potential obesity therapies, it is important to note that obesity is connected to an imbalance of microorganisms in the gut. Previous research shows that both metformin (a common diabetes medication) and dietary fibers individually improve the balance of microorganisms in the gut and how the body works. Past animal studies found that using metformin and dietary fibers together improves blood sugar control. However, the health benefits of this combination of treatments remain unexplored in teens. This study aims to investigate how a combination of metformin and a dietary fiber mix affects the health of teens. In this study, teens with obesity, insulin resistance, and a family history of diabetes will take either metformin or dietary fibers, or a combination of both, for 12 months. We will evaluate the impact of the interventions on body weight and composition, quality of life, blood markers, and the microorganisms in the gut. We expect the combination treatment to provide better health results compared to each treatment alone. Our study may help find new treatments for obesity and insulin resistance involving gut microorganisms to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes in teens and obesity in adulthood.