Anthocyanins and brain health in the context of obesity and Western-style diets.

Obesity, driven largely by the consumption of high-fat and high-carbohydrate diets, constitutes a major global public health concern. Emerging evidence frequently links obesity to comorbidities including neuroinflammation and altered brain function. Anthocyanins, a group of flavonoids abundant in fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes, have shown significant potential in modulating these effects. Indeed, preclinical and clinical studies support the capacity of anthocyanins and anthocyanin-rich extracts to mitigate the brain dysfunction associated with obesity and Western-style diets. This review critically summarizes current evidence on the capacity of anthocyanins to counteract obesity-associated neuroinflammation and cognitive decline. It also discusses the underlying molecular mechanisms, including the upregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor improvements in vascular function, sustaining glucocorticoid metabolism, protection of the gastrointestinal barrier, regulation of redox homeostasis and mitigation of inflammation. Additionally, this review addresses the ability of anthocyanins to acute- and chronically counteract the adverse biological events triggered by high fat meals and diets. Ultimately, the compiled evidence points to the relevance of dietary strategies aimed at increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, particularly those rich in anthocyanins, to mitigate obesity- and Western-style diet-associated neuroinflammation and altered cognition.