Abstract
Introduction: Obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are emerging public health problems globally and risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Objective: The purpose of this review was to investigate the relation between GM and dietary modification in obesity and the metabolic syndrome, and the role of dietary modification in obesity and metabolic syndrome prevention and treatment. Methods: A narrative review of published data was performed, using peer-reviewed studies that included "gut microbiota," "dietary pattern," "obesity" and/or "metabolic syndrome," "microbiota-targeted interventions. Appropriate findings were aggregated to analyse the interface amongst sustenance, gut microbial structure and metabolic well-being. Results: GM plays a key role in digestion, synthesis of short chain fatty acids, active role in immune system, vitamin synthesis, and energy homeostasis. Dysbiosis, defined by a decrease in the diversity of microorganisms and a change in the composition of the community, is linked to obesity and metabolic syndrome in various ways such as increase in energy harvest, metabolic endotoxemia, chronic inflammation, impairment of the barrier function, and insulin resistance. A pro-dysbiotic diet in the West has been shown to cause imbalances in the microbial community and dysmetabolism, while consumption of high fiber, plant-rich diets with prebiotics and some low carbohydrate diets have shown to be beneficial for the microbial population and dysmetabolism. New treatment strategies include probiotics, gut microbiome transfer, bariatric surgery and precision nutrition, which appear to be useful in the rebalancing of the microbiota. Conclusion: Modulating gut microbes with foodstuffs is a powerful, non-drug approach to enhancing metabolic and nutritional outcomes and could help decrease the burden of obesity and related comorbidities.