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Therapeutic Exercise, Nutrition and Biochemical Insights: Innovations in Obesity Management

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 May 2026) | Viewed by 2196

Editors


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Guest Editor

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Co-Guest Editor
Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty Sport Science, Firat University, 23119 Elazig, Turkey
Interests: sport; exercise; nutrition; biochemistry; physiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Obesity is a significant global health issue closely linked to numerous chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and cancer. The multifaceted nature of obesity, which affects physical, psychological, and social well-being, requires an equally complex approach to treatment and management. Nutrition plays a central role in addressing obesity, but novel, integrated strategies that include exercise science and biochemical insights are increasingly proving to be effective. In this Special Issue of Nutrients, we aim to explore how nutritional interventions can be effectively combined with advancements in exercise physiology and biochemical processes to enhance obesity treatment outcomes. The goal is to uncover how specific dietary strategies, when integrated with exercise protocols, can influence metabolic pathways, improve hormonal balance, and foster sustainable weight loss and overall health improvements.

We welcome the submission of manuscripts that provide comprehensive insights into the interplay between nutrition, physical activity, and biochemical mechanisms in obesity management, with a focus on innovative approaches supported by rigorous experimental data. Submissions may focus on, but are not limited to, the following topics:

  • The impact of dietary interventions on metabolic health, systemic inflammation, and biochemical markers in individuals with obesity.
  • Combined nutritional and exercise strategies tailored for effective weight management.
  • The role of nutrition in modulating hormonal and biochemical pathways affected by obesity.
  • Novel methodologies for assessing the efficacy of nutritional interventions in combination with physical activity. Interdisciplinary approaches integrating nutrition, exercise, and pharmacological treatments for obesity.
  • Nutritional strategies to support adherence and enhance the effectiveness of exercise programs.
  • The contribution of personalized nutrition and dietary plans in managing obesity-related complications.

We encourage submissions that provide novel insights into these areas, supported by detailed experimental results that can be reproduced and further applied in clinical and public health settings. By emphasizing the integration of nutrition with other therapeutic disciplines, this Special Issue seeks to promote a holistic and evidence-based approach to obesity treatment. We look forward to receiving your contributions and to fostering innovative discussions on how nutrition, combined with exercise and other interventions, can be harnessed to combat this critical global health issue.

Dr. Gian Mario Migliaccio
Guest Editor

Dr. Taner Akbulut
Co-Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • obesity management
  • therapeutic exercise
  • nutritional interventions
  • biochemical mechanisms
  • metabolic health
  • hormonal balance
  • weight management
  • systemic inflammation
  • personalized nutrition
  • integrated treatment strategies

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 1833 KB  
Article
Combined Aerobic and Resistance Training Improves Metabolic Health and Is Associated with Arginine and Histidine Metabolic Changes During the Transition from Metabolically Unhealthy to Metabolically Healthy Obesity in Young Adults
by Xueyin Fei, Min Wu, Yanchun Li, Mengru Zhang and Xiangang Yang
Nutrients 2026, 18(12), 1956; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18121956 - 17 Jun 2026
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Abstract
Background: Exercise training is known to improve metabolic health in individuals with obesity; however, its role in facilitating transitions between metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) and metabolically healthy obesity (MHO), as well as the associated metabolic adaptations, remains incompletely understood. Methods: A total of [...] Read more.
Background: Exercise training is known to improve metabolic health in individuals with obesity; however, its role in facilitating transitions between metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) and metabolically healthy obesity (MHO), as well as the associated metabolic adaptations, remains incompletely understood. Methods: A total of 84 young adults with obesity were enrolled and classified MUO (n = 55) or MHO (n = 29) based on baseline metabolic profiles. All participants completed an 8-week supervised exercise intervention. Anthropometric parameters, body composition, cardiometabolic markers, and VO2max were assessed before and after the intervention. Targeted metabolomics of 30 amino acid-related metabolites was performed in the MHO-R (remained MHO) and MUO-C (conversion from MUO to MHO) groups to explore exercise-associated metabolic adaptations following intervention. Results: Exercise training improved cardiometabolic risk profiles, including reductions in adiposity and improvements in insulin resistance-related markers. A proportion of participants transitioned from metabolically unhealthy to metabolically healthy obesity following the intervention. No significant between-group differences in amino acid metabolite changes were observed between MHO-R and MUO-C groups. Exploratory metabolomic analyses identified exercise-responsive alterations in amino acid-related metabolites, particularly involving arginine biosynthesis and histidine metabolism. Conclusions: Combined aerobic and resistance training is associated with improvements in metabolic health and phenotype transition in young adults with obesity. Observed alterations in arginine and histidine metabolism may reflect metabolic adaptations to exercise rather than transition-specific or causal mechanisms underlying phenotype conversion. Full article
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Review

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48 pages, 2361 KB  
Review
Understanding Obesity as a Multisystem Disease: Advancing Research, Redefining Diagnostic Criteria, and Establishing Modern Therapeutic Approaches
by Hala Abdallah, Mohamad Khalil, Laura Mahdi, Gianni Pietragalla, Maria Felicia Faienza, Gabriella Garruti and Piero Portincasa
Nutrients 2026, 18(14), 2317; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18142317 - 15 Jul 2026
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Abstract
Obesity is a complex, chronic, relapsing disease that affects nearly all physiological functions and homeostatic mechanisms, extending far beyond mere excess adiposity. Traditional clinical practice often relies on uniform interventions that fail to account for diverse patient phenotypes. This review synthesizes current evidence [...] Read more.
Obesity is a complex, chronic, relapsing disease that affects nearly all physiological functions and homeostatic mechanisms, extending far beyond mere excess adiposity. Traditional clinical practice often relies on uniform interventions that fail to account for diverse patient phenotypes. This review synthesizes current evidence on personalized obesity management, dietary interventions, and advanced pharmacotherapies aligned with the new 2025 Lancet Commission framework. A comprehensive narrative review was conducted across major biomedical databases to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and mechanisms of metabolic interventions, focusing on phenotype-specific dietary matching, bioactive compounds, and modern multi-receptor glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-based therapies across preclinical and clinical intervention tiers in adult and pediatric populations. While specific nutraceutical extracts display promising secondary metabolic benefits, their overall weight-loss efficacy remains modest due to variable clinical data and limited sample sizes. Conversely, high-potency anti-obesity medications demonstrate unprecedented weight-reduction efficacy, with semaglutide 2.4 mg and tirzepatide yielding mean body weight losses of ~14.9% and ~20.9%, respectively. Furthermore, landmark outcome data from the SELECT trial confirms that semaglutide 2.4 mg achieves a significant 20% relative risk reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), independent of baseline glycemic status or heart failure. However, clinical extension data reveal rapid weight rebound upon drug cessation, highlighting that obesity requires continuous, long-term therapeutic strategies. Effective obesity care demands an operational shift from traditional, one-size-fits-all treatments to personalized, multi-tiered strategies. Combining phenotype-specific lifestyle modifications with potent, long-term multi-hormonal pharmacotherapies or metabolic surgery optimizes long-term therapeutic durability, systemic metabolic health, and sustained cardioprotection. Full article
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