High fat diet induced disturbances of energy metabolism

Abstract

Obesity and insulin resistance (IR) are multifactorial pathologies, characterized by a complex etiology. In addition to genetics, age and sex, environmental factors such as dietary composition and lifestyle have profound effects on the development of both pathologies. Excess dietary energy intake (EI) per se has effects on energy homeostasis through physiological systems involved in maintenance of substrate balances. Moreover, the composition of the diet itself may contribute and aggravate the phenotype in time by acting as a second hit. In particular, high levels of saturated long chain fatty acids have been associated with the development of obesity and IR. In this thesis, we have addressed a number of important aspects that play a role in the development of diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance.