Gut microbiota-driven diseases and intervention strategies – lessons from China

Complicated relationships exist among lifestyles, gut microbiome (GM), and human health. Lifestyles can modulate the composition and function of GM, hence influencing the development of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Recently, the socio-economic growth in China has led to the emergence of urbanized lifestyles, including unbalanced eating patterns and a sedentary lifestyle, causing an increased incidence of lifestyle-related NCDs among the Chinese population. In this review, we discussed the impact of lifestyle specific to the Chinese population on the GM and highlighted the mechanistic evidence that the commensals and their metabolites prevent or promote the pathogenesis of common lifestyle-related NCDs in China. Additionally, we described several microbiome-targeted therapies derived from traditional Chinese health practices, including traditional Chinese medicine treatments, the intake of fermented foods and tea, and Tai Chi intervention. In conclusion, we emphasized the significance of lifestyle-induced dysbiosis in the etiology of prevalent NCDs in China and provided relevant solutions, which should offer new insight into the treatment of these diseases to improve the overall health status of Chinese citizens.