Bacterium comprising a gene set that allows said bacterium to convert inositol to propionic acid or a salt or ester thereof, for use in preventing and/or treating metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance or insulin resistance-related condition, wherein the gene set comprises: a gene encoding myo-inositol 2-dehydrogenase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:1 and/or SEQ ID NO:3, a gene encoding inosose dehydratase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:5, a gene encoding epi-inositol hydrolase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:7, a gene encoding 5-deoxy-glucuronate isomerase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:9, a gene encoding 5-keto-2-deoxygluconokinase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:11, a gene encoding 5-keto-2-deoxy-D-gluconate-6 phosphate aldolase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:13, a gene encoding glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate ketol-isomerase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:15, a gene encoding glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:17, a gene encoding phosphoglycerate kinase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:19, a gene encoding phosphoglycerate mutase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:21, a gene encoding enolase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:23, a gene encoding pyruvate kinase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:47, a gene encoding pyruvate-flavodoxin oxidoreductase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:25, a gene encoding 3-oxoacid CoA transferase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:27, a gene encoding acyl-CoA dehydrogenase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:29, a gene encoding enoyl-CoA hydratase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:31, a gene encoding acryloyl-CoA dehydrogenase/Etf and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:33, SEQ ID NO:35, and/or SEQ ID NO:37, and a gene encoding inosose isomerase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:39. a gene encoding myo-inositol 2-dehydrogenase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:1 and/or SEQ ID NO:3, a gene encoding inosose dehydratase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:5, a gene encoding epi-inositol hydrolase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:7, a gene encoding 5-deoxy-glucuronate isomerase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:9, a gene encoding 5-keto-2-deoxygluconokinase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:11, a gene encoding 5-keto-2-deoxy-D-gluconate-6 phosphate aldolase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:13, a gene encoding glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate ketol-isomerase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:15, a gene encoding glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:17, a gene encoding phosphoglycerate kinase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:19, a gene encoding phosphoglycerate mutase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:21, a gene encoding enolase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:23, a gene encoding pyruvate kinase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:47, a gene encoding pyruvate-flavodoxin oxidoreductase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:25, a gene encoding 3-oxoacid CoA transferase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:27, a gene encoding acyl-CoA dehydrogenase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:29, a gene encoding enoyl-CoA hydratase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:31, a gene encoding acryloyl-CoA dehydrogenase/Etf and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:33, SEQ ID NO:35, and/or SEQ ID NO:37, and a gene encoding inosose isomerase and having at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO:39.