OBESITY IS A STATE OF METABOLIC DYSFUNCTIONS AND CHRONIC LOW-GRADE INFLAMMATION, WHICH ARE CAUSALLY LINKED TO OBESITY CO-MORBIDITIES, SUCH AS NONALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE (NAFLD) AND TYPE 2 DIABETES. WE HAVE SOUGHT THE IDENTIFICATION OF NEW AGRICULTURAL CROPS THAT MAY BE CONSUMED TO COMBAT OBESITY AND ITS ASSOCIATED DISEASES. EDIBLE BROWN SEAWEEDS EXERT ANTI-OBESITY, ANTI-HYPERLIPIDEMIC, AND ANTI-DIABETIC ACTIVITIES. THEREFORE, THERE HAS BEEN A GROWING INTEREST IN THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF SEAWEED PRODUCTS IN THE U.S., CONSEQUENTLY EXPANDING SEAWEED FARMING IN THE EASTERN COASTAL STATES. HOWEVER, STUDIES ON THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF U.S.-GROWN SEAWEED ARE VERY LIMITED. OUR RECENT STUDY PROVIDES EVIDENCE THAT CONSUMPTION OF SUGAR KELP (SACCHARINA LATISSIMA), A MAJOR EDIBLE BROWN ALGA GROWN IN THE U.S., PREVENTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF OBESITY AND ITS ASSOCIATED METABOLIC DISTURBANCES, INFLAMMATION, AND FIBROSIS IN THE LIVER AND WHITE ADIPOSE TISSUE OF DIET-INDUCED OBESITYMICE. INTERESTINGLY, MICE FED SUGAR KELP EXHIBITED DRASTIC ALTERATIONS IN THE GUT MICROBIOME, WHICH HAS AN ENORMOUS IMPACT ON THE HOST'S ENERGY METABOLISM. ALSO, POLYSACCHARIDES IN BROWN SEAWEEDS ACT AS PREBIOTICS. THEREFORE, OUR PRELIMINARY FINDINGS INDICATE A POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTION OF THE GUT MICROBIOTA TO THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF SUGAR KELP. WE WILL STUDY IN THE PROJECT WHETHER SUGAR KELP CONSUMPTION PREVENTS OBESITY AND ITS ASSOCIATED ABNORMALITIES BY ALTERING THE GUT MICROBIOTA WHOSE METABOLITES ENHANCE ENERGY EXPENDITURE BY FACILITATING BROWNING OF WHITE ADIPOSE TISSUE AND INCREASINGFECAL ENERGY EXCRETION DUE TO ITS HIGH FIBER CONTENT. ALSO, AS CONCERNS ON POTENTIAL ADVERSE EFFECTS OF IODINE AND HEAVY METALS EXIST WITH SUGAR KELP CONSUMPTION, WE WILL EVALUATE THEIR TOXICITY IN VIVO.