Increasing amounts of evidence now point to the importance of the collections of bacteria found in our guts — often known as the "gut microbiota" — in various aspects of our well-being.

One review even calls gut bacteria "the forgotten organ," since they are highly active and their chemical processes influence the body's metabolism in numerous ways.

For this reason, researchers from King's College London in the United Kingdom decided to take a closer look at what influences the activity of gut bacteria — especially as it relates to weight gain and weight distribution in the body.

In order to do so, the scientists analyzed the fecal metabolome — the collection of molecules, or "metabolites," produced by certain metabolic processes — of twins, in order to understand how chemical processes that take place in the gut affect the distribution of fat, and particularly its accumulation around the waist.

Excessive waist fat is deemed a risk factor for the development of metabolic conditions, including obesity and diabetes.

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