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The Role of Nutrients in Obesity and Related Metabolic Diseases:...
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The Role of Nutrients in Obesity and Related Metabolic Diseases: A Focus on Adipose Tissue

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 August 2026 | Viewed by 2563

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Ludovica Verde

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Centro Italiano per la Cura e il Benessere del Paziente con Obesità (C.I.B.O), University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
Interests: obesity; nutrition; diet; diabetes; metabolic syndrome; dyslipidemia; chrononutrition; circadian rhythms
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Obesity is a growing global health concern and a key risk factor for the development of metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. At the center of these interrelated conditions lies adipose tissue—not only as an energy reservoir but also as a dynamic endocrine organ that regulates systemic metabolism. Nutrients play a critical role in modulating adipose tissue biology, influencing adipogenesis, inflammation, lipid storage, insulin sensitivity, and thermogenesis.

This Special Issue aims to explore the complex interactions between specific nutrients, dietary patterns, and adipose tissue function regarding obesity and related metabolic diseases. We are particularly interested in how nutrient timing and circadian rhythms influence adipose tissue homeostasis and metabolic health. Disruptions in circadian regulation—whether due to irregular eating patterns, sleep disturbances, or shift work—can impair nutrient signaling and contribute to metabolic dysfunction.

We welcome submissions that address molecular mechanisms, clinical interventions, or population-based strategies. Original research, clinical trials, and narrative or systematic reviews focused on the nutritional regulation of adipose tissue are encouraged.

Dr. Ludovica Verde
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-blind 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
  • adipose tissue
  • nutrients
  • metabolic syndrome
  • insulin resistance
  • inflammation
  • dietary intervention
  • circadian rhythms
  • energy metabolism
  • nutritional biochemistry

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 391 KB  
Article
The Effects of Interval Resistance—Aerobic Training and Fisetin Supplementation on Asprosin and Selected Adipokines in Obese Men: A Double-Blind Randomized Control Trial
by Mehran Alipour, Ayoub Saeidi, Keyvan Hejazi, Rashmi Supriya and Hassane Zouhal
Nutrients 2026, 18(3), 433; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18030433 - 28 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1120
Abstract
Objective: This double-blind, parallel-group randomized controlled trial is the first to investigate the synergistic effects of interval resistance plus progressive aerobic training with fisetin supplementation on adipokines in obesity. Methods: Sixty sedentary men with obesity (BMI < 30 kg/m2) completed 12 [...] Read more.
Objective: This double-blind, parallel-group randomized controlled trial is the first to investigate the synergistic effects of interval resistance plus progressive aerobic training with fisetin supplementation on adipokines in obesity. Methods: Sixty sedentary men with obesity (BMI < 30 kg/m2) completed 12 weeks of thrice-weekly interval resistance training (eight exercises, 3 × 13 reps at 60% 1RM with 20% 1RM active rest), immediately followed by staged aerobic bouts (50–70% HRmax). Participants were randomized into the control-placebo (P), fisetin (F; 200 mg/day), training-placebo (TP), or training + fisetin (TF) groups. The primary outcomes were asprosin, MCP-1, and adiponectin; secondary outcomes included leptin and lipid profile. Data were analyzed via ANCOVA with Bonferroni post hoc tests. Results: Statistical analyses were conducted following the intention-to-treat (ITT) principle using an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) model, which revealed extensive effects of the interventions on the participants’ anthropometric and biochemical indices. Regarding body composition, after adjusting for baseline values, a significant difference in mean body weight was observed between groups (F (3, 55) = 9.444, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.340); Bonferroni post hoc tests confirmed that the training plus fisetin (TF), training-placebo (TP), and fisetin (F) groups all achieved significant weight loss compared to the placebo (P) group. Furthermore, body mass index (BMI) showed a significant inter-group difference (p = 0.021), with post hoc analysis revealing that only the TF group reached a statistically significant reduction compared to the placebo (p = 0.024; 95% CI [−3.760, −0.172]). In the assessment of biochemical and inflammatory variables, the interventions exerted a highly significant effect on asprosin (F (3, 55) = 36.047, p < 0.001; ηp2 = 0.663) and MCP-1 (F (3, 55) = 29.570, p < 0.001; ηp2 = 0.617). The findings indicated that the TF group experienced the most substantial reductions in both asprosin (−60.71%) and MCP-1 (−46.50%) levels. Regarding adipokines, significant increases in adiponectin levels were observed in the TP (29.38%) and TF (27.67%) groups (p < 0.05), whereas changes in leptin were statistically significant only in the TF group relative to the placebo (p = 0.049). The lipid profile results indicated a statistically significant difference in the TF group in improving all markers; this group achieved greater reduction compared to other groups, including reductions in LDL-C, triglycerides (TG), and total cholesterol (TC) (p < 0.001), while simultaneously showing a significant elevation in HDL-C. Post hoc analyses confirmed robust statistical differences in all lipid parameters for both the TF and TP groups compared to the placebo group (p < 0.05), whereas the placebo group experienced a deterioration in status characterized by a significant increase in LDL-C (p = 0.027) and a significant decline in HDL-C concentrations (p = 0.006). Conclusions: In conclusion, 12 weeks of combined interval resistance–aerobic training and fisetin supplementation significantly reduced pro-inflammatory adipokines and improved lipid profiles in obese men. These findings suggest that asprosin serves as a potential modulator in metabolic risk reduction; however, since direct mechanistic assays were not conducted, these implications remain hypothetical. Future research employing molecular readouts is warranted to confirm the underlying pathways involved. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Nutrients in Obesity and Related Metabolic Diseases: A Focus on Adipose Tissue)
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17 pages, 299 KB  
Article
Assessment of the Association Between Anthropometric Indices Related to Overweight and Obesity and Selected Trace Elements and Heavy Metals: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Grzegorz Józef Nowicki, Anna Maria Cybulska, Maciej Polak, Elżbieta Grochans, Romuald Bohatyrewicz, Eliza Blicharska, Tomasz Czernecki, Agnieszka Adamczuk, Magdalena Łapot and Barbara Ślusarska
Nutrients 2025, 17(19), 3141; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17193141 - 30 Sep 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1063
Abstract
Introduction: Over the last two decades, obesity has evolved into a global pandemic. Environmental pollutants, as endocrine disruptors, may play a key role in the development of obesity. The study aimed to assess the relationship between the concentration of certain trace elements and [...] Read more.
Introduction: Over the last two decades, obesity has evolved into a global pandemic. Environmental pollutants, as endocrine disruptors, may play a key role in the development of obesity. The study aimed to assess the relationship between the concentration of certain trace elements and heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Mn, Co, Cr and Fe) and ferritin in blood serum, with anthropometric and physiological parameters associated with overweight and obesity in individuals following myocardial infarction and without a previous myocardial infarction. Method: The study was conducted in a group of 146 respondents divided into two groups: a study group (SG) of patients that had a history of myocardial infarction (n = 74) and a control group (CG) of patients that had no history (n = 72). The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was employed to assess the concentration of trace elements and heavy metals. Measurements were taken to determine the anthropometric indices associated with overweight and obesity. Results: In the SG, there was a positive correlation between Cr concentration and body adiposity index (BAI) and a negative correlation between Zn, Zn/Cu, and ferritin level and percentage body fat (FM%). In the CG, there was a positive correlation between Zn concentration and WHtR and between ferritin level and BMI, WC, WHR and WHtR. Additionally, a negative correlation was found between Mn concentration and WHR and ferritin level and BAI and FM%. Conclusions: This study found a link between certain blood concentrations of trace elements and heavy metals and anthropometric and physiological indices associated with overweight and obesity. It, therefore, has substantial implications for public health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Nutrients in Obesity and Related Metabolic Diseases: A Focus on Adipose Tissue)
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