Multi-omic definition of metabolic obesity through adipose tissue–microbiome interactions
Authors' conclusion
These findings define an adipose-linked, microbiome-connected metabolic signature that outperforms BMI in stratifying cardiometabolic risk and guiding precision interventions.
Study context
- Population
- Individuals with deep multi-omics phenotyping; external cohort; bariatric surgery subsetexternal cohort n = 466
- Participants
- 1,408 individuals
- Outcome
- metBMI performance
Methodological detailsexternal validation cohort
- External validation cohort
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Body mass index (BMI) variance explained by metBMI in external cohort
52%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Higher-than-expected metBMI and cardiometabolic outcomes
- Higher odds of fatty liver disease, diabetes, severe visceral fat accumulation and attenuation, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia and inflammation
- 2-5-fold
Weight loss after bariatric surgery (n = 75) with higher-than-expected metBMI
- Less weight loss
- 30%
Microbiome
- Obesogenic signature aligned with reduced microbiome richness, altered ecology and functional potential
66-metabolite panel
- Explanatory power retained
- 38.6%
- Metabolites covarying with the microbiome
- 90%
Mediation analysis
- Bidirectional, metabolite-centered host-microbiome axis, mediated by lipids, amino acids and diet-derived metabolites
Original publication
Multi-omic definition of metabolic obesity through adipose tissue–microbiome interactions. Nat Med. Published 2 January 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →