1. The Human Microbiome and Obesity: Moving beyond Associations
Padma Maruvada, Vanessa Leone, Lee M. Kaplan, Eugene B. Chang 
Cell Host & Microbe 
Volume 22, Issue 5, Pages (November 2017)
DOI: /j.chom
Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. Terms and Conditions

2. Figure 1
Environmental Factors and the Bidirectional Interaction with Host Organ Systems Shape the Intestinal Microbiome
Studies over the past decade have revealed that many environmental factors, including diet, antibiotic exposure, energy intake (EI), and exercise, can dramatically influence the intestinal microbiome (both membership and functional capacity). In addition to environment, further research has revealed a bidirectional interaction between host organ systems and the intestinal microbiome in shaping host metabolic outcomes.
Cell Host & Microbe  , DOI: ( /j.chom )
Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. Terms and Conditions

3. Figure 2
Top-Down versus Bottom-Up Approaches in Defining Causal Relationships for the Role of Intestinal Microbes in Human Disease
Data from in vitro systems and in vivo animal models suggest that gut microbes triggered by environmental exposures such as diet and antibiotics play a mechanistic role in disrupting molecular metabolism and impact obesity outcomes. These findings cannot be readily translated to human obesity, in part due to limitations in the experimental systems, thereby preventing the establishment of clear causality. Much of the current findings in obesity-microbiome research remain at the association level in relation to human disease. Establishing causation, and realizing the promise of microbially derived therapies aimed at restoring metabolic health in humans, requires cross-cutting research between major stakeholders who can dissect the complex interaction of environmental influences on host-microbe interactions.
Cell Host & Microbe  , DOI: ( /j.chom )
Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. Terms and Conditions