Adipose tissue, the "fat" in our body, possesses a surprising ability to adapt. A recent study reveals that it can truly regenerate and return to a healthy state after significant weight loss, challenging the idea of a permanent memory left by obesity.
This discovery is the result of work by researchers from the University of Southern Denmark. Published in
Nature Metabolism, their research focuses on observing cellular transformations during weight reduction.
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Following bariatric surgery (such as gastric banding) and substantial weight loss, samples of adipose tissue show notable improvements. For example, the number of immune cells, linked to inflammation, drops sharply to levels comparable to those of slim individuals. This decrease promotes better insulin sensitivity and helps lower metabolic risks such as type 2 diabetes.
For more modest reductions, between 5 and 10%, scientists did not note a significant drop in inflammation. However, they observed a change in genetic activity that encourages the formation of new, potentially more functional, fat cells. This phenomenon could account for early clinical improvements in health, even with limited weight loss.
Changes in adipose tissue during weight loss in the ATLAS study: researchers monitored people with severe obesity before and after weight loss, via lifestyle interventions and bariatric surgery.
Credit: Anne Loft/SDU Among other positive developments, there is an increase in the cells that form blood vessels. This adaptation improves the tissue's oxygenation and nutrition, thus contributing to its restoration. Overall, gene expression profiles tend to normalize, indicating a return towards a state close to that observed in individuals who have never experienced obesity.
These observations help understand the mechanisms by which weight loss protects against diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Adipose tissue thus demonstrates a real capacity to recover, showing that the harmful consequences of obesity are not irreversible and that a restoration of health is possible.