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Diet, Adipose Tissue and Diabetes

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 April 2025) | Viewed by 3806

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Biosciences and Diagnostic Imaging, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
Interests: gut; obesity; diet; microbiota; vagus nerve; neuroanatomy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

There is growing evidence that diet plays a key role in the development of diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance in various tissues. Though conventionally associated with obesity, current research indicates that visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is the leading determining factor, having more influence regardless of individual body mass. Adipose tissue acts as an endocrine organ secreting adipokines that influence whole-body metabolism and glucose homeostasis. Understanding how dietary factors interact with adipose tissues to impact glycemic control is crucial for developing effective prevention and management strategies.

This Special Issue will explore the relationship between diet, adipose tissue, and diabetes. Potential areas of focus may include the following:

- Role of microbiota in diabetes and obesity;

- Role of specific macro/micronutrients and bioactives in modulating adipokine secretion and local adipose inflammation;

- Influence of dietary patterns on adipose tissue distribution, metabolism, and adipogenesis;

- Interactions of diet with adipose tissue signaling pathways and their impact on beta cell function and peripheral glucose disposal;

- Lifestyle/dietary interventions targeting adipokines or adipose tissue inflammation for glycemic control;

- Emerging ‘omics’ and imaging techniques elucidating molecular mechanisms linking diet, adipose dysfunction, and insulin resistance;

- Clinical and epidemiological studies on the dietary factors associated with altered adipose tissue physiology and diabetes risk.

Submitted articles should advance our understanding of how dietary components influence adipose tissues to affect whole-body glucose homeostasis. We welcome original research papers, systematic reviews, and perspective pieces that advance our understanding of this topic.

Dr. Krzysztof Czaja
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • diet
  • visceral adipose tissue
  • diabetes
  • obesity
  • free fatty acids
  • body mass index
  • body composition
  • microbiome

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 3594 KiB  
Article
Sex-Specific Effect of a High-Energy Diet on Body Composition, Gut Microbiota, and Inflammatory Markers in Rats
by Dulce M. Minaya, Adam Hoss, Ayushi Bhagat, Tai L. Guo and Krzysztof Czaja
Nutrients 2025, 17(7), 1147; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17071147 - 26 Mar 2025
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: A high-energy-density (HED) diet promotes body weight gain, fat accumulation, and gut dysbiosis, contributing to obesity. The aim of this study was to characterize the initial response to HED diet consumption, as well as identify any sex differences in body composition, [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: A high-energy-density (HED) diet promotes body weight gain, fat accumulation, and gut dysbiosis, contributing to obesity. The aim of this study was to characterize the initial response to HED diet consumption, as well as identify any sex differences in body composition, systemic inflammation, gut microbiome, and fecal fat excretion in rats. Methods: Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a low-energy-density (LED) diet for 10 days and were then switched to an HED diet for four weeks. Food intake, body weight, and body composition were measured routinely. Serum samples were collected to measure inflammatory cytokines/chemokines. Fecal samples were collected for microbiome analysis and lipid content. Results: After the HED diet, all rats gained body weight and fat mass, with males exhibiting increased susceptibility to weight gain. Males displayed either a diet-induced obesity phenotype (DIO-P) or a diet-resistant (DR) phenotype, as characterized by their differential body weight gain. Males showed elevated TGF-β levels, while females exhibited increases in Interferon gamma-inducible protein 10 (IP-10), regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) protein, and basic fibroblast growth factor (FGFb). Changes in gut microbiota composition revealed a reduction in beneficial species, like Bacteroides uniformis and Parabacteroides distasonis, and an increase in species such as Akkermansia muciniphila. Sex differences in fat metabolism were shown in the greater fecal fat excretion observed in males. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that short-term consumption of a high-energy diet elicits notable sex-specific differences in body weight, body composition, inflammatory markers, gut microbiota, and fat excretion in Sprague-Dawley rats. While we recognize that this study has a small sample size and a short-term intervention, our findings highlight the critical role of sex as a biological variable in diet-induced obesity research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet, Adipose Tissue and Diabetes)
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Review

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13 pages, 760 KiB  
Review
Nutrition and Lifestyle Interventions in Managing Dyslipidemia and Cardiometabolic Risk
by Hygerta Berisha, Reham Hattab, Laura Comi, Claudia Giglione, Silvia Migliaccio and Paolo Magni
Nutrients 2025, 17(5), 776; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17050776 - 23 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2737
Abstract
Dyslipidemia, characterized by abnormal blood lipid levels, is a major public health concern due to its association with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and other cardiometabolic disorders. In this context, appropriate nutrition patterns are pivotal as they represent the basic approach for providing a [...] Read more.
Dyslipidemia, characterized by abnormal blood lipid levels, is a major public health concern due to its association with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and other cardiometabolic disorders. In this context, appropriate nutrition patterns are pivotal as they represent the basic approach for providing a wide range of substantial advantages. The best evidence for dyslipidemia management is offered by the Mediterranean Diet, the Plant-Based Diet, the High-Fiber Diet and the Anti-inflammatory Diet, while the DASH Diet and the Ketogenic Diet have also been shown to target additional pathological features like hypertension and other comorbidities. The bioactive compounds that are enriched in these nutrition patterns and able to manage dyslipidemia include monounsaturated fatty acids such as ω-3, polyphenols such as oleuropein, resveratrol, flavonoids, and catechins, carotenoids, phytosterols and soluble and unsoluble fibers. Diets rich in these compounds can improve lipid profile by mitigating oxidative stress, reducing low-grade chronic inflammation, modulating macronutrient absorption and other mechanisms, thereby supporting cardiovascular health. Additionally, lifestyle interventions such as regular physical activity, weight loss, reduced alcohol consumption and smoking cessation further ameliorate lipid metabolism and manage circulated lipid profile. Furthermore, emerging insights from nutrigenomics underscore the potential for proper diet to address genetic factors and optimize treatment outcomes. The pivotal role of nutrition interventions in the context of dyslipidemia and its cardiometabolic implications is discussed in this review, emphasizing evidence-based and personalized approaches. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diet, Adipose Tissue and Diabetes)
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