ABSTRACT
Obesity is one of the most serious public health concerns of the 21st century. Several factors such as lifestyle, host genetics, diet, metabolism and side-effects of drugs have been pointed as the responsible or contributor for the progression or development of obesity. Besides these factors, several studies have evidenced a high influence of gut microbiota composition and their metabolites on the development of obesity. In this sense, the uses of probiotic lactic acid bacteria for modulation of gut microbiota and management of obesity have been helpful and can lead to promising outcomes. This chapter begins with a review about the gut microbiota structure, composition, and its main functions and then covers the relationship of gut microbiota with diet and different diseases, with focus on obesity state. This chapter also includes a discussion about factors that play a role in linking obesity to gut microbiota. Finally, the action of probiotics and mechanism involved in the probiotic’s anti-obesity effects are presented.
