The Role of Western Diet and Lifestyles on Inflammatory Diseases: Emerging Strategies from Prevention to Treatment

Dear Colleagues,

Western diet (WD) has been found to have a negative impact on health through innumerable mechanisms, mainly related to: (a) immune system activation via macrophage proliferation, cytokine cascade and inflammasome activation; (b) gene crosstalk with nutrients and bioactive molecules from the diet, and epigenetic modulation; (c) body composition changes conducive of adipogenesis, and exacerbation of inflammatory status and metabolic/adipocyte dysregulation; and (d) gut (or other) microbiota/metabolite modifications. Altogether, this setting favours low-grade systemic inflammation, driving metabolic changes and immune system deregulation, leading to disease. WD is, therefore, linked to an increased prevalence of metabolic disorders, such as obesity, adipose hypertrophy, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, insulin resistance/diabetes, neuroinflammation, brain dysfunction and cognitive impairment, allergies, and chronic joint diseases, among others. The aim of this Special Issue is to gather the latest research on this topic, including original research papers, narrative and systematic reviews, and meta-analyses that comprehensively shed light on the mechanisms by which WD increases the prevalence of these conditions. Additionally, manuscripts should entail potential approaches suggested to tackle these diseases, delay onset/progression, and mitigate symptoms in relation to: (1) intake modulation (precision nutrition, fasting, plant-based dietary approaches); (2) gene–diet interactions; (3) alteration/restoration of the gut microbiota (e.g., pre/probiotics/synbiotics); and (4) dietary-related metabolites impacting immune regulation, glucose, lipid and aminoacidic homeostasis (e.g., micronutrient bioavailability).

Dr. Marta Correia
Guest Editor

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