REVIEW article
Front. Endocrinol.
Sec. Obesity
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fendo.2025.1618360
This article is part of the Research TopicExercise, Diet, Cytokines and Obesity - Volume IIView all 3 articles
The role of exercise and nutrition in modulating inflammatory cytokines activity for obesity management
Provisionally accepted
- University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Obesity is recognized as a systemic disease characterized by chronic, low-grade inflammation. The persistent inflammatory state can be driven by secretion of cytokines from adipose tissue, also known as adipokines. In patients with obesity, adipose tissue releases elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines that can have an autocrine and paracrine function. The main cytokines involved in this process include tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6, and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β). These molecules actively contribute to metabolic dysregulation by interfering with insulin signaling pathways and facilitating the infiltration of immune cells into adipose tissue. Thus, a vicious cycle can be established in which inflammation perpetuates metabolic disturbances, increasing the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes mellitus, and other chronic conditions. On the other hand, physical exercise can release myokines with anti-inflammatory properties, such as interleukin-6 and irisin, which can positively modulate immune response. Regular physical activity and healthy eating patterns emerge as essential tools to counteract low-grade inflammation. A diet rich in bioactive compounds, such as antioxidants and polyunsaturated fatty acids, may also regulate cytokine expression, reinforcing the role of nutrition as a therapeutic strategy for obesity management. In conclusion, the role of inflammatory cytokines in obesity is central and managing their activity through non-pharmacological interventions, combining exercise and nutrition, represents a powerful tool to prevent long-term complications. However, more studies are needed to elucidate the exact molecular mechanisms by which nutrition and exercise modulate inflammation in obesity, in order to develop more effective interventions.
Keywords: Exercise, nutrition, Cytokines, Inflammation, Obesity
Received: 25 Apr 2025; Accepted: 16 Sep 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Sobreviela Sánchez, Giusfredi Quevedo, Fernandes and Fonseca. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Guilherme Fonseca, guilhermefonseca@usp.br
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