Obesity and insulin resistance are caused by dysfunction of the lymphatic system of the mesentery, an organ of the human digestive system, through which the hollow organs of the abdominal cavity are attached to the back wall of the abdomen. Australian scientists reached this conclusion, reports the journal Nature Metabolism.
In this study, for the first time, we were able to uncover a biological reason why fat accumulation around the abdomen is correlated with higher rates of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes than fat accumulation elsewhere in the body – it says in the message.
Thus, a diet high in fat stimulates the formation of a network of tortuous and branching lymphatic vessels in the mesentery.
These vessels, called mesenteric vessels, tend to leak lymph fluid, rich in intestinal lipid metabolites and inflammatory mediators, into the visceral adipose tissue of the abdominal cavity, which causes the accumulation of abdominal fat and leads to insulin resistance, scientists have found.
The authors also presented experimental evidence that interfering with this cycle by inhibiting pathways associated with lymphatic dysfunction could be a new treatment for both obesity and associated metabolic diseases.
Earlier, studies revealed that being overweight can prolong life in some cases and that overweight older people live longer.
