Open AccessUnderstanding Obesity: The Role of Adipose Tissue Microenvironment and the Gut Microbiome
Author(s) -
Nusrat Mehmood Awan,
Imran J Meurling,
Donal O’Shea
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
saudi journal of medicine and medical sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.125
H-Index - 2
eISSN - 1658-631X
pISSN - 2321-4856
DOI - 10.4103/sjmms.sjmms_561_20
Subject(s) - obesity , medicine , microbiome , adipose tissue , pandemic , gut microbiome , intensive care medicine , immune system , covid-19 , bioinformatics , gut flora , disease , immunology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , pathology , biology
The prevalence of obesity has more than doubled globally over the past few decades, with a 12-fold rise in extreme levels. Obesity, with its multiple complications, remains a major ongoing challenge for health-care professionals, as highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, where people with obesity had poorer outcomes. In this article, we review advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology underlying obesity, with a focus on the immune system and its interaction with both the adipose tissue organ and the gut microbiome. As our understanding of the causes and effects of obesity improves, opportunities should emerge, underpinned by rigorous laboratory and clinical research, to both better prevent and treat this global epidemic.