[Obesity and immune function]

The perspective of obesity as a low grade systemic inflammatory condition has triggered a new interest on the many overlapping areas between this pathology and the immune system. White adipose tissue production of proteins related to the immune function has shown that many of these adipokines are implied in the ethiopathogenesis of some of the major metabolic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, which share with obesity an important role in the Metabolic Syndrome. Besides, dysregulation of immune system may be present due to a dysregulation in the factors produced by adipose tissue. Weight loss through diet or surgery has proved to be beneficial for the recovery of the physiological levels of some of these pro-inflammatory molecules, but other studies are needed to clarify to which extent its possible to pursue risk reduction by this way.