2017 Participants
Foo Qun Zhen Cherylyn
Obesity is a condition affecting millions of people worldwide. It is categorised as an abnormal increase in body fat due to reasons such as unhealthy diets and physical inactivity. Obesity is linked with numerous negative health issues such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In recent years, research (including studies done by Newcastle University) has shown that the consumption of seaweed is associated with the reduced digestibility of carbohydrates in humans. This has potential applications in treating people with obesity as the total amount of nutrients absorbed by the body is reduced. Therefore, this proposed research makes use of an in vitro Model Gut System (MGS), to replicate the processes that occur in the human gastrointestinal tract to study the effects of encapsulated seaweed on the digestibility of carbohydrates. Seaweeds are encapsulated to mask its unique taste and texture that not many enjoy.
Funding source: Newcastle University
Supervisor: Professor Jeff Pearson