Nutritional study to evaluate the effect of milk kefir consumption in healthy subjects and subjects with metabolic syndrome

The objective of the research program is to evaluate the effect of consuming milk kefir for six months in healthy subjects and those with metabolic syndrome. To this end, a European multicenter study will be carried out based on the execution of a randomized clinical trial, with a parallel and double-blind design. In the Italian center (UNINA) 20 healthy subjects and 30 with metabolic syndrome will be enrolled. All participants will be required to include 200 ml of kefir or placebo in their usual diet for 6 months and will be required to undergo a nutritional assessment at baseline and every month in addition to completing food diaries. During the nutritional visit, anthropometric parameters will be measured and a 24-hour diet recall will be carried out beside the evaluation of the food diaries compiled on a weekly basis. Furthermore, blood, urine and stool samples will be collected and prepared for clinical and metabolic analyses and for the analysis of the gut microbiome.