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The prevalence of metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes (T2D), obesity, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which are common risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), has dramatically increased worldwide over the last decades. Although dietary habit is the main etiologic factor, there is an imperfect correlation between dietary habits and the development of metabolic disease. Recently, research has focused on the role of the microbiome in the development of these disorders. Indeed, gut microbiota is implicated in many metabolic functions and an altered gut microbiota is reported in metabolic disorders. Here we provide evidence linking gut microbiota and metabolic diseases, focusing on the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying this association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is now well established that a healthy gut flora is largely responsible for the overall health of the host, while a perturbation in gut microbial communities can contribute to disease susceptibility. Obesity is a complex process involving genetic and environmental factors with an epidemiological burden that makes it a major public health issue. Studies of germ-free or gnotobiotic mice provided evidence that the diversity, as well as the presence and relative proportion of different microbes in the gut play active roles in energy homeostasis. Similarly, human studies showed that both the diversity of the microbiota and the Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio are decreased in obese individuals. The 'obese microbiota' seems to be able to increase dietary energy harvest and favor weight gain and fat deposition. Although research in this field has just started and many of the available data are still conflicting, the results are providing exciting perspectives, and gut microbiota manipulation has already become a new target for both prevention and treatment of obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]