South Korean researchers have found that consuming kimchi reduces body fat and modulates the gut microbiome, confirming the anti-obesity effects of the traditional Korean fermented food. In a study, participants who ate kimchi experienced a 2.6% reduction in body fat over three months. The analysis of participants' microbiomes revealed that kimchi consumption resulted in an increase in the beneficial gut bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila, which reportedly reduces inflammation and improves markers of metabolic syndrome and obesity. However, the clinical trial has limitations in terms of sample size and generalizability to non-Asian populations.