Western diets, gut dysbiosis, and obesity: are they linked?

The main ingredients of the Western diet are highly processed and refined foods, and high in sugar., salt, fat, and protein from red meat. In the past few decades, the Western diet has been an important factor in the rise of obesity rates. Individuals who are overweight or obese have a higher chance of developing comorbidities such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease Several studies have shown significant changes in the intestinal flora of obese people both in composition, and that this dysfunction of the intestinal flora is one of the major contributors to the western diet-induced obesity. This review addresses recent progress in the understanding of the association of the Western-style diet with obesity, dysbiosis of intestinal flora plays an important role in obesity. And possible therapeutic interventions by targeting gut microbiota are also discussed, aiming to tackle and prevent this current pandemic.