Protective Effects of Anthocyanins in Obesity-Associated Inflammation and Changes in Gut Microbiome

Obesity is a complex disease and a major public health epidemic. Chronic, low-grade inflammation is a common underlying feature of obesity and associated metabolic diseases; adipose tissue is a major contributor to this systemic inflammation. Evidence shows that obesity-associated inflammation may originate from gut dysfunction, including changes in intestinal bacteria or microbiome profiles. Increasingly, food and plant bioactive compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties are proposed to ameliorate obesity-associated inflammation. Among these, the health-promoting effects of anthocyanin-rich foods are of interest here. Specifically, this review summarizes the reported benefits of anthocyanins in obesity-associated inflammation and underlying molecular mechanisms, including the role of gut microbiome and cell signaling pathways regulated by anthocyanins both in vivo and in vitro.