Abstract
The high prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents, the complexity of therapy, a large number of comorbid conditions dictate the need for ongoing research into the causes of obesity and methods for its prevention. One of the newest and most promising aspects to study influencing the formation of obesity is the gut microbiota. The proposed mechanisms linking the gut microbiota to obesity are realized through strain-specific effects of bacteria on changes in the host's metabolism. Probiotics affect the microbiota directly by modulating its composition and indirectly through bacteriocins produced by probiotic bacteria. There is great scientific interest in the use of probiotics as part of therapy or for the prevention of obesity.