A new animal study has demonstrated one way sugar can contribute to metabolic diseases such as diabetes is by causing disruptions to the gut microbiome. The novel findings home in on exactly how certain gut bacteria can protect against the harmful effects of a high-fat diet, and how dietary sugar can disrupt those protective mechanisms.

It's certainly not breaking news to suggest a high-fat, high-sugar diet can lead to a variety of health problems. But as scientists learn more about the ways trillions of bacteria in our gut can influence our general health we are also gathering some unique insights into exactly how poor dietary choices are causing particular health problems.