Modelling molecular processes in weight loss:Regulation of metabolic flexibility

The World Health Organisation has estimated a three-fold increase in global obesity from 1975 to 2018. This is alarming as obesity is associated with several chronic illnesses including cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and several forms of cancer. This research utilises multiple types of data from a weight loss study to identify key cellular processes in the cells of the adipose tissue involved in weight loss. The objective is to highlight cellular pathways and genes, which can be targeted to counter obesity and associated illnesses. It was observed that metabolic flexibility, the ability of organisms to switch between metabolic nutrients, was impaired in obese individuals along with an increase in inflammation, indicating possible interactions between the two leading to the development of chronic illnesses in obesity