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Aging, Obesity, and Inflammatory Age-Related Diseases
Frasca D, Blomberg BB, Paganelli R.. Frontiers in immunology, 2017-12-07
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
The increase in the prevalence of obesity represents a worldwide phenomenon in all age groups and is pathologically and genetically correlated with several metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, representing the most frequent age-related diseases. Obesity superimposed on aging drastically increases chronic low-grade inflammation (inflammaging), which is an important link between obesity, insulin resistance, and age-associated diseases. Immune cells of both the innate and the adaptive immune systems infiltrate the adipose tissue (AT) and during obesity induce inflammatory responses associated with metabolic switches and changes in phenotypes and function of immune cell subsets. Obesity poses new health problems especially when it occurs in the context of other diseases, many of them frequently affect elderly subjects. An emerging problem is the decreased proportion of patients with obesity achieving clinical response to therapy. In this review, we will discuss the reciprocal influences of immune cell and AT inflammation in aging and age-associated diseases and the complex relationship of nutrient and energy-sensing homeostatic checkpoints, which contribute to shape the phenotype of the AT. We will specifically examine type-2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, cognitive impairment, and dementia, where obesity plays a significant role, also in shaping some clinical aspects.
Key findings
- Immune cells of both the innate and the adaptive immune systems infiltrate the adipose tissue (AT) and during obesity induce inflammatory responses associated with metabolic switches and changes in phenotypes and function of immune cell subsets.
- We will specifically examine type-2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, cognitive impairment, and dementia, where obesity plays a significant role, also in shaping some clinical aspects.
Why it matters
This review discusses how obesity and aging increase chronic low-grade inflammation and how obesity plays a role in conditions including cognitive impairment and dementia. It is a review of inflammatory mechanisms, not a trial showing that any intervention prevents or treats Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 51/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Frontiers in immunology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Frontiers in Immunology: journal h-index 352 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2017 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 373 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 33.9 citations a year over 11 year(s) since 2017 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 22.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 118 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Roberto Paganelli: h-index 54 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Miami: institution h-index 998 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 29270179) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 51 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01745
- PubMed: 29270179
- Original source →
- Free full text: Frontiers in Immunology →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Frasca, D., Blomberg, B. B., & Paganelli, R. (2017). Aging, Obesity, and Inflammatory Age-Related Diseases. Frontiers in immunology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2017.01745
Vancouver
Frasca D, Blomberg BB, Paganelli R. Aging, Obesity, and Inflammatory Age-Related Diseases. Frontiers in immunology. 2017. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2017.01745. PMID: 29270179.
BibTeX
@article{frasca2017-29270179,
author = {Frasca, D. and Blomberg, B. B. and Paganelli, R.},
title = {{Aging, Obesity, and Inflammatory Age-Related Diseases}},
journal = {Frontiers in immunology},
year = {2017},
doi = {10.3389/fimmu.2017.01745},
pmid = {29270179},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2017.01745}
}
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