Dietary Fats and the Gut Microbiota: Their impacts on lipid-induced metabolic syndrome

[Display omitted] •Dietary fats, modulate metabolic syndrome and associated features.•Gut microbiota and their short-chain metabolites affect inflammation, lipid metabolism, and other features of metabolic syndrome.•The gut microbiota modulate host metabolism associated with inflammation, blood pressure, and predisposes risk of metabolic syndrome. The metabolic syndrome (MetS) produces low-grade inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, platelet hyperactivity, oxidative stress and ultimately contributes to cardiovascular disease (CVD) development. Fatty acids such as n-3 and n-6, monounsaturated, conjugated, highly unsaturated, short-chain types, and their metabolism can impact the development of MetS and associated features. Furthermore, the quality and quantity of dietary fats can influence gut microbiota composition that alters an individual's metabolic health. The gut microbiota modulates components of MetS via different mechanisms. The gut microbiota can swing the host metabolic balance in energy homeostasis, gut motility, appetite, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, and fat storage in the liver. In addition, an impairment of the gut microbial population by a high-fat diet can lead to systemic inflammation and insulin resistance. The review summarizes the impacts of dietary fats on MetS and their interactions with gut microbiota in modulating the risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome. .