4. Discussion
CVD
This study sought to explore the effects of an 8-week Mediterranean diet enriched with dairy products (to reach the recommended Australian dietary intake of 1000–1300 mg of calcium) on the gut microbiome of Australian adults at risk of CVD. The dairy enrichment involved 3–4 daily servings of any of the following dairy foods: one serve (250 mL) of low-fat milk, 40–120 g of hard and/or semisoft to soft cheese, 200 g of low-fat Greek yoghurt, or 200 g of tzatziki dip. Participants recruited to the study recorded a MedDiet adherence score at moderate levels based on their habitual diet at baseline (average ± SD of 4.4 ± 1.8 for the 10-point score and 7.0 ± 1.4 for the 18-point score), which reflect those of an Australian population that are not following a prescribed MedDiet [Faecal microbiota analysis was performed based on paired comparisons between baseline and after 8 weeks of MedDairy or LFD intervention and between the groups at 8 weeks. Paired analysis indicated that the overall structure and composition of the faecal microbiota were not significantly altered by the MedDairy or LFD groups, except for a modest decrease in microbial diversity in the LFD group. These results are consistent with other studies that assessed the gut microbiome following a MedDiet intervention, including the CARDIVEG study, which involved a 3-month low-calorie MedDiet in adults with CVD risk [The MedDairy diet did not result in broad changes to the gut microbiota but significantly altered the relative abundance of selected bacterial taxa, a result that is consistent with previous MedDiet studies [Reductions in the levels of The MedDairy diet intervention was associated with modest but significant increases in Lachnospiraceae and Higher adherence to a MedDiet diet has been previously shown to mediate protective effects on cardiometabolic risk factors, including blood pressure (lowers systolic and diastolic blood pressure), lipids (lower total cholesterol:HDL ratio, lower LDL levels, and higher HDL levels), and/or glycaemic control (lowers insulin secretion and HOMA-IR levels) when compared to the group consuming a healthy dietary guideline diet [Our study was limited to the measurement of gut microbiota levels and clinical outcomes but did not measure other factors such as changes in metabolic capacity [Taken together, our results suggest that an 8-week MedDiet supplemented with dairy foods results in relative abundance changes in bacterial taxa. Microbial changes, including an increase in 