What is the link between microbiota and

obesity?

Gut microbiota may promote obesity through regulation of digestion

and absorption of nutrients and efficiency of fat storage.

The microbiota also plays a key role in metabolic diseases involving obesity,

promoting low-grade inflammation, lipogenesis and the build-up

of triglycerides in the liver, for example.

You specialize in childhood obesity.

What has been your most significant discovery

in this field?

Childhood obesity is an important and interesting research target as early

prevention and management of obesity is most effective.

We and others have identified some early microbiota signatures that

precede overweight development in preschool age. Our current work

focuses on prospective Health and Early Life Microbiota birth cohort

(NCT03996304) where we study, for exemple, how breastmilk composition

and vertically transmitted maternal microbes affect the gut microbiota,

growth and weight development of children.

Where next

One question dominates our research are alterations of the gut microbiota

a precursor or consequence of obesity

The answers to that puzzle will help us draw up preventive measures

which will then be tested through clinical studies

3 QUESTIONS

FOR ANNE SALONEN

Adjunct Professor of immunobiology and director of the Human Microbiome Research Program, at the University of Helsinki (Finland), was the winner of the 2018 national grant in Finland for her work on: “Gut microbiota in relation to early growth and development of childhood obesity”.

WHO report Obesity and overweight August 2020

WHO report Childhood obesity in European Region

remains high November 2022

27