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Abstract

The gut microbiome is a complex microbial community that inhabits the gastrointestinal tract comprising archaea, bacteria, viruses and fungi. This community lies at the interface between our environment and our cells. As such, it plays an important role in multiple nutritional, physiological and immune processes, including the synthesis of vitamins and other compounds, the energy harvest from food, and the tight regulation of innate and adaptive immunity. The gut microbiome is implicated in the pathophysiology of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This is of particular relevance in the context of the epidemiologic and dietary transition that characterizes westernization, a process in which low- and middle-income countries shift towards increased consumption of processed foods and reduced physical activity with a concomitant increase in non-communicable diseases. This thesis contributes to our understanding of the role of the gut microbiome in cardiometabolic disease and obesity.