Does Inulin Ingestion Reduce Visceral Fat Adiposity? Mini Review

Abstract

Undoubtedly, obesity has become a global public health problem particularly when looking at the obesity-related diseases. Over the past 20 years, studies explored greatly the role of fat tissue in obesity pathogenesis suggesting that the functional differences between visceral fat adiposity (VFA) and subcutaneous fat adiposity (SFA) impacted the appearance of many obesity-related diseases. Therefore, increased knowledge about VFA and SFA could promote the development of more effective therapies against several obesityrelated problems. The role of modulating gut microbiota with fiberdiet (prebiotics) in attempt to reduce VFA is nowadays an era of interest to treat obesity. Prebiotics constitute a selective stimulation of growth/activity of certain microbial species in the gut microbiota that offer health benefits to the host [1]. Consequently, its use as a dietary intervention provides a novel therapeutics in obesity and cardio-metabolic disease risk [2]. These mini-review summaries the current evidence linking a specific dietary-fiber called inulin to the reduction of VFA.