Introduction to the special issue on dietary control of immunometabolism

Excerpt

A surplus of dietary fat and carbohydrates combined with physical inactivity has led to a high prevalence of overweight in affluent countries, and a concomitant increase in obesity-associated diseases. This obesity epidemic comes with substantial socioeconomic costs, posing great challenges for health care systems worldwide. The development of overfeeding and obesity-associated diseases occurs in a complex manner, involves various organs simultaneously and has both genetic and exogenous roots. In many cases, excess fat-rich diet combined with overweight and cellular aging processes have been found to cause disturbances in systemic metabolism and chronic subclinical inflammation in the intestines, in adipose tissues and in other organs [1]. The establishment of such metabolically triggered inflammation has been implicated in the development of type 2 diabetes, colon carcinoma and other diseases [2]. For women of reproductive age, calorie-rich diet and overweight are important risk factors for complications during pregnancy. These include gestational diabetes, which is frequently followed by overt type 2 diabetes at a later age [3]. …