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Nutritional and Metabolic Biomarkers in Obesity

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Obesity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 February 2026 | Viewed by 570

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Psychology and Health Sciences, Pegaso Telematic University, 80143 Naples, Italy
Interests: browning of adipose-derived stromal cells; hormonal and bioactive molecule modulation of cell metabolism; obesity and executive function; obesity and metabolic disease

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Guest Editor
Department of Economics, Law, Cybersecurity, and Sports Sciences, University of Naples “Parthenope”, 80133 Naples, Italy
Interests: effects of nutrition and physical/sport activity on oxidative stress; role of endogenous and exogenous antioxidants; correlations between thermogenesis and eating behavior; influence of age, sex, and nutritional status; obesity and chronic inflammation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Obesity is a complex, multifactorial condition increasingly recognized not merely as an excess of adipose tissue but as a chronic metabolic disease with significant public health implications. This Special Issue, "Nutritional and Metabolic Biomarkers in Obesity", examines the emerging role of specific biomarkers in enhancing the understanding, diagnosis, and management of obesity. Biomarkers derived from blood, adipose tissue, and dietary intake provide valuable insights into the physiological and metabolic alterations associated with excessive adiposity, including chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, dysregulated lipid metabolism, and gut microbiota imbalances. The contributions in this Special Issue underscore how integrating nutritional biomarkers (such as micronutrient status, dietary patterns, and metabolomic profiles) with metabolic markers (including adipokines, cytokines, and lipid mediators) can facilitate the early detection of metabolic dysfunctions, personalize nutritional interventions, and monitor therapeutic efficacy. Advances in omics technologies and systems biology enable a more comprehensive exploration of the obesity phenotype and its metabolic heterogeneity. This integrative approach paves the way toward precision nutrition and targeted interventions that consider an individual’s metabolic profile beyond conventional weight-based assessments.

Dr. Girolamo Di Maio
Dr. Vincenzo Monda
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • obesity
  • biomarkers
  • adipose tissue
  • dietary intake
  • chronic inflammation
  • insulin resistance
  • micronutrient
  • dietary patterns
  • metabolomic

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

10 pages, 662 KB  
Article
Associations Between Circulating Spexin, Obesity, and Insulin Resistance in Korean Children and Adolescents
by Shin-Hee Kim and Yoon Hong Chun
Nutrients 2025, 17(19), 3177; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17193177 - 8 Oct 2025
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Abstract
Background: Spexin is a neuropeptide involved in various physiological functions, including energy metabolism, appetite regulation, and weight loss. This study aimed to identify correlations between circulating spexin levels, obesity, and insulin resistance (IR) in Korean children and adolescents. Methods: We included 128 Korean [...] Read more.
Background: Spexin is a neuropeptide involved in various physiological functions, including energy metabolism, appetite regulation, and weight loss. This study aimed to identify correlations between circulating spexin levels, obesity, and insulin resistance (IR) in Korean children and adolescents. Methods: We included 128 Korean children and adolescents in the study. Among them, 69 individuals (53.9%) were classified as obese, 43 (33.6%) were considered overweight, and 16 (12.5%) had a normal weight. We recorded participants’ anthropometric parameters, fasting biochemical parameters, and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and assessed their correlations with plasma spexin levels. Results: Plasma spexin levels were significantly lower in obese subjects than in controls (mean, 163.1 vs. 198.4 pg/mL; p = 0.01). Subjects with IR had lower spexin levels than those without IR (mean, 145.3 vs. 185.1 pg/mL; p < 0.001). Spexin levels were negatively correlated with the BMI SDS (r = −0.30; p < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (r = −0.33; p < 0.001), fasting insulin (r = −0.41; p < 0.001), HOMA-IR value (r = −0.41; p < 0.001), triglyceride (TG) level (r = −0.38; p < 0.001), and plasma leptin level (r = −0.26; p = 0.004). In multivariate analysis, HOMA-IR and TG levels were independently associated with plasma spexin levels (p < 0.001 for both). Mediation analyses suggest a potential bidirectional relationship between obesity-related reductions in circulating spexin and insulin resistance. Conclusions: Decreased circulating spexin levels were associated with obesity and IR among Korean children and adolescents. Our findings suggest a link between circulating spexin, obesity, and IR in this population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional and Metabolic Biomarkers in Obesity)
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