Obesity, Meta-Inflammation and Non-Communicable Disease Pathogenesis

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, obesity has become increasingly prevalent and currently affects around 16% of the world’s population. As a major risk factor for the majority of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including the leading causes of death world-wide (i.e., cardiovascular disease and cancer), obesity has a far-reaching impact both on the level of the individual—mortality, disability and quality of life—as well as on healthcare economics.

Despite the clear mechanistic etiology of obesity, prevention and treatment remains challenging due to the complex interplay of eating behavior, food availability, genetics, physical activity and socioeconomic background. The causal relationship between obesity and the increased risk of NCDs is often linked to so-called metaflammation, a portmanteau of metabolism of inflammation that is characterized by a state of chronic inflammation brought on dysfunctional adipose tissue expansion. Uncoupling obesity from NCDs by targeting metaflammation may be a promising alternate strategy to weight loss in order to reduce the burden of obesity on patients as well as on healthcare systems.

This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for new perspectives on the relationship between obesity and NCDs, with special focus on metaflammation. We welcome both primary research as well as reviews exploring mechanistic insights into the links between obesity, metaflammation and NCD pathogenesis. Manuscripts focusing on sex differences or novel therapeutic strategies involving metaflammation are of particular interest. Submissions concerning the socioeconomic burden of obesity- and metaflammation-driven NCD pathogenesis are also welcome.

Dr. Staffan Hildebrand
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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