The Crosstalk Between Gut Microbiota and Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders

Abstract

Obesity and related metabolic diseases are currently a threat to global public health. The occurrence and development of these conditions result from the combined effects of multiple factors. The human gut is a diverse and vibrant microecosystem, and its composition and function are a focus of research in the fields of life science and medicine. An increasing amount of evidence indicates that interactions between the gut microbiota and their genetic predispositions or dietary changes may be key factors that contribute to obesity and other metabolic diseases. Defining the mechanisms by which the gut microbiota influence obesity and related chronic metabolic diseases will bring about revolutionary changes that will enable practitioners to prevent and control metabolic diseases by targeting the gut microbiota.

KEYWORDS:

• gut microbiota
• intervention
• metabolic disease

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work was supported in part by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81460377), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province, China (20142BAB215036 and 20151BAB205041), the Science and Technology Foundation of the Department of Education of Jiangxi Province, China (GJJ14169), the Graduate Student Innovation Foundation of Jiangxi Province, China (YC2015-B021), the National Science and Technology Major Projects program for ‘Major New Drugs Innovation and Development’ of China (2011ZX09302-007-03), and the ‘Talent 555 Project’ of Jiangxi Province, China. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported in part by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81460377), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province, China (20142BAB215036 and 20151BAB205041), the Science and Technology Foundation of the Department of Education of Jiangxi Province, China (GJJ14169), the Graduate Student Innovation Foundation of Jiangxi Province, China (YC2015-B021), the National Science and Technology Major Projects program for ‘Major New Drugs Innovation and Development’ of China (2011ZX09302-007-03), and the ‘Talent 555 Project’ of Jiangxi Province, China. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.