Obesity: pathophysiology and therapeutic interventions

作者：Yue Kong, Haokun Yang, Rong Nie, Xuxiang Zhang, Fan Zuo, Hongtao Zhang, Xin Nian · 发表于：Molecular Biomedicine · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1186/s43556-025-00264-9 · 被引用次数：70 · 研究领域：Berberine and alkaloids research、Pharmacology and Obesity Treatment、Natural Antidiabetic Agents Studies

Over the past few decades, obesity has transitioned from a localized health concern to a pressing global public health crisis affecting over 650 million adults globally, as documented by WHO epidemiological surveys. As a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by pathological adipose tissue expansion, chronic inflammation, and neuroendocrine dysregulation that disrupts systemic homeostasis and impairs physiological functions, obesity is rarely an isolated condition; rather, it is frequently complicated by severe comorbidities that collectively elevate mortality risks. Despite advances in nutritional science and public health initiatives, sustained weight management success rates and prevention in obesity remain limited, underscoring its recognition as a multifactorial disease influenced by genetic, environmental, and behavioral determinants. Notably, the escalating prevalence of obesity and its earlier onset in younger populations have intensified the urgency to develop novel therapeutic agents that simultaneously ensure efficacy and safety. This review aims to elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying obesity, analyze its major complications-including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cardiovascular diseases (CVD), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), obesity-related respiratory disorders, obesity-related nephropathy (ORN), musculoskeletal impairments, malignancies, and psychological comorbidities-and critically evaluate current anti-obesity strategies. Pa...