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Abstract
Obesity and associated metabolic disorders are worldwide epidemic. The literature
provides new evidence that gut microbiota dysbiosis (at the phyla, genus, or species
level) affects host metabolism and energy storage. Here we discuss new findings that
may explain how gut microbiota can be involved in the development or in the control
of obesity and associated low-grade inflammation. New powerful molecular biology methods
and the use of gnotobiotic animal allowed to analyze the molecular link between gut
bacteria and the host. Moreover, even if more studies are needed to unravel how changing
gut microbiota impacts on the development of obesity and related metabolic alterations,
probiotic and prebiotic approach appear as potential interesting treatments to reverse
host metabolic alterations linked to gut microbiota dysbiosis.