Abstract
Diabesity refers to the co-occurrence of diabetes and obesity. Obesity and
type 2 diabetes have been associated with unfavorable changes in the composition and
functionality of the intestinal microbiota (dysbiosis), accompanying glucose and lipids
metabolic alterations in the host. Moreover, an interrelationship seems to exist between
the chronic low-grade inflammation occurring in obesity/diabetes, with mood disorders
and early cognitive impairment, frequently associated with these pathologies. Focus on
the intestinal microbiota, as a target for developing/evaluating strategies to fight against
diabesity, constitutes a novel point of view in the management of this condition. Apart
from calorie restricted diets, with proven low efficacy in the long-term, recent studies
are focused on particular dietary components such as fatty acids, polyphenols,
probiotics and prebiotics and their effect on diabesity, mediated by the intestinal
microbiota. Medical treatments include the use of drugs with different mechanisms of
action, most of them showing effects on the gut microbiota. The use of bariatric
surgery is increasing in recent years for the treatment of severe obesity and favorable
changes in microbiota composition and its metabolites have been evidenced linked to
weight loss. Further studies are needed to elucidate whether changes in the microbiota
are a cause or consequence of diabesity
Keywords: Diabesity, Diet, Intestinal Microbiota, Obesity, Short Chain Fatty Acids, Type 2 Diabetes