Obesity is a major risk factor for both type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Accordingly, major emphasis has been placed on understanding mechanisms that contribute to how obesity predisposes to the pathology of T2D and CVD. Some of the most widely studied mechanisms include inflammation, oxidative stress, insulin resistance, and mitochondrial dysfunction. With regards to the latter, obesity not only precipitates mitochondrial dysfunction, but causes several perturbations in how the body metabolizes fuel (i.e. carbohydrates, fatty acids). For example, in diabetic CVD, the heart’s ability to oxidize carbohydrate (glucose) becomes severely impaired, whereas it has been suggested that reductions in hepatic fatty acid oxidation contribute to the pathology of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Understanding the molecular dysregulation that causes these metabolic perturbations in obesity may represent an untapped pool of metabolic targets for pharmacotherapy.

This Special Issue aims to welcome studies focused on expanding our knowledge of intermediary energy metabolism perturbations in the pathology of obesity related chronic diseases, with an emphasis on T2D and CVD. Furthermore, this issue will publish studies illustrating the potential of correcting these perturbations in intermediary energy metabolism with pharmacotherapy, and the potential safety concerns involved.

We therefore welcome the pharmaceutical and biomedical community, as well as clinicians to share their findings and insights from preclinical (in vitro, ex vivo, or in vivo) to clinical studies attempting to prevent and/or reverse obesity-related chronic diseases via targeting intermediary energy metabolism. A comprehensive coverage of all aspects of this expanding field will broaden the scientific community in its pursuit of developing new strategies to tackle the obesity epidemic. This Special Issue welcomes a wide range of diversity in input by seeking Original Research, Reviews, Mini Reviews, Case Reports, and Brief Research report articles, all of which will undergo full peer review.

For authors, please also review the journal's information regarding Author Guidelines and Article Processing Charges, or direct any questions to the Editorial Office.

Abstract Deadline: 3 July 2023
Manuscript deadline: 1 December 2023