Recently two studies have uncovered a connection between obesity and bacteria present in the intestines. Both obese mice and obese people had a much higher percentage of a specific family of bacteria called Bacteroidetes in their gut than their normal-weight counterparts, and much less of a bacteria group called Firmicutes. But unfortunately researchers don't know yet if the balance shift in internal bacteria causes obesity, or is simply a result of it.

Obesity research in this area, coined "infectobesity," is growing rapidly and looks at the causes and treatments for weight gain in relation to microbes and viruses. The idea is also spreading to other areas of health, such as diabetes and asthma. And apparently, many researchers are backing off the idea of fighting with naturally occurring internal bacteria, and instead are embracing the idea and working with the microbes to help patients feel and be feel healthier -- and possibly feel and be thinner too.