Genetic and environmental factors are underlying causes of obesity and other metabolic diseases, so it is therefore difficult to find suitable and effective medical treatments. However, without a doubt, the gut microbiota-and also the bacteria present in the oral cavity-act as key factors in the development of these pathologies, yet the mechanisms have not been fully described. Certainly, a more detailed knowledge of the structure of the microbiota-composition, intra- and inter-species relationships, metabolic functions-could be of great help in counteracting the onset of obesity. Identifying key bacterial species will allow us to create a database of "healthy" bacteria, making it possible to manipulate the bacterial community according to metabolic and clinical needs. Targeting gut microbiota in clinical care as treatment for obesity and health-related complications-even just for weight loss has become a real possibility. In this topical review we provide an overview of the role of the microbiota on host energy homeostasis and obesity-related metabolic diseases, therefore addressing the therapeutic potential of novel and existing strategies (impact of nutrition/dietary modulation, and fecal microbiota transplantation) in the treatment of metabolic disease.
Keywords: clinical biochemistry and clinical molecular biology; clinical microbiology; dysbiosis; fecal microbiota transplantation; immune system; impact of nutrition and physical exercise activities in health; microbiota; obesity-related metabolic diseases; probiotics and prebiotics.