Diabetes, obesity, and their related complications are reaching epidemic proportions worldwide. A strong relationship exists between diabetes and obesity, with adipose tissue playing an important role in diabetes. Within the last two decades, the words “diabetes” and “obesity” were eventually unified to create the new, more descriptive term; diabesity. The currently observed increase in diabetes, especially in industrialised countries, is correlated with the increase in obesity. A similar prevalence has been reported in developing countries. For instance, obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the Arabic-speaking countries, especially those in higher-income, oil-producing countries. Changes in food consumption, socioeconomic and demographic factors, physical activity, and multiple pregnancies may be important factors that contribute to the increased prevalence of obesity in Arabic-speaking countries.

Diabesity correlates with the development of serious health complications, including cardiovascular disease and several malignancies. The impact, from a public health perspective, is enormous and continues to increase. As the population ages and becomes more sedentary, the morbidity and mortality associated with obesity and diabetes will continue to escalate. Thus, it is imperative to focus our research efforts on understanding better the etiology of obesity and diabetes, as well as the mechanisms underlying the development of the complications associated with these conditions. It is also critically important to focus our public health efforts on the prevention as well as our clinical efforts on the treatment of these disease states.

The aim of this Special Issue is to collate original research articles addressing the efficiency of active ingredients or extracts from middle eastern natural products for the management of diabesity and its complications. Review articles discussing the state of the art are also welcome.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Evidence-based herbal medicine for the management of diabesity
• Evidence-based herbal medicine for the management of diabesity associated complications
• Structure-activity relationship of pharmacologically active metabolites in diabesity
• Honey and its products for the management of diabesity
• Honey and its products for the management of diabesity associated complications
• Pharmaceutical formulation of pharmacologically active metabolites in diabesity
• Management of diabesity by different pharmacologically active metabolites
• Medicinal plants for the management of diabesity and associated complications
• Isolation and characterisation of novel active compounds from medicinal plants with anti-diabetic and anti-obesity benefits
• Recent advances in drug discovery from Mediterranean medicinal plants with anti-diabetic and anti-obesity disorders potentials
• Identification of the cellular target of the effective anti-diabetic and anti-obesity Mediterranean plant extract(s) such as proteins and genes
• Cellular and molecular action mechanisms of novel phytochemicals with anti-diabetic and anti-obesity benefits