Prevalence of Obesity in Human Males Mediated by Aryl-hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR)

Obesity is a significant risk factor for type II diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. It is a growing worldwide problem. Recent studies and experiments showed that a highly activated AhR (aryl hydrocarbon receptor) might disrupt fat metabolism and contribute to white fat deposition in cells, which leads to obesity. The mechanism of action of AhR is dependent on the agonists and antagonists. AhR. The study was mini-survey conducted upon 110 Indian males by use of questionnaires and secondary data . We found that people consuming AhR agonists like Kynurenine (endogenous ligand) are more prone to overweight or obesity, as compared to the people who consumed more AhR antagonists like Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) Epigallocatechin (EGC), Glucosinolate, Flavonoids, and Resveratrol in their regular diet. Thus, we concluded that AhR is a significant factor for obesity in humans (male). Since holistic research on the Indian diet is unavailable, conclusions from our survey can be of great use for further studies on treating obesity and understanding the effects of AhR on fat metabolism. Objective: Our motive is to test our hypothesis by surveying the general population (Indian males) on their diet and to check the effect of agonist and antagonist in their diet. Hypothesis: If the value of agonists is more in the diet that will lead to activation of AhR and contribute to obesity whereas an abundant amount of antagonists in the diet leads to the deactivation of AhR and prevention of obesity.