Chapter 12: Mechanisms of Action of Berry Bioactives on Obesity-induced Inflammation

Obesity and metabolic syndrome, two of the major public health challenges worldwide, are characterized by a state of chronic inflammation, with the abnormal production of inflammatory cytokines and the prolonged activation of inflammatory pathways, responsible for the development and the complications of these pathologies. A fruitful strategy to decrease the chronic state of inflammation could be the adoption of a healthy diet, of which berries, enriched with well-known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory bioactive compounds, should be an important part. The aim of this chapter is to present the main results obtained from in vitro and animal studies, describing the effects of the main common consumed berries (blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, blackcurrant, and blackberry) on chronic inflammation related to obesity and metabolic syndrome, trying to elucidate the main molecular pathways involved in the beneficial effects of these berries. The human evidence is instead discussed in more detail in Chapter 11.