Probiotic foods as functional foods for modulating obesity

Introduction: Obesity is a multifactorial chronic disease that involves many internal and external factors, causing the death of at least 2.8 million people each year, according to the World Health Organization. Therefore, there is a need for nobler treatments to lose weight. Probiotic foods are classified as functional foods due to their nutritional contribution. Objective: To describe the impact of probiotic foods in the treatment of obesity. Methods: A review of 61 studies from different databases was carried out. Results: It is known that probiotics have several action mechanisms that beneficially affect the gut microbiota to maintain homoeostasis in the whole organism. The relationship between these microorganisms and the control and modulation of a person’s body weight has been observed. Conclusion: The beneficial effects of probiotics are strain-specific and may impact obesity through different action mechanisms, such as abdominal fat decrease, changes in inflammatory biomarkers, microbiota restoration, and reduction in triglycerides serum levels.