Study subjects
obesity, mental illness, periodontitis, ’s syndrome, psychosis, bulimia nervosa, depression, endocrine disease
OBESITY, PERIODONTITIS, HYPERCORTISOLISM, HEAD AND NECK CANCER, HYPOTHYROIDISM, ENDOCRINE DISEASE
The study included subjects with an initial body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/mStudy exclusion criteria included leukaemia/neutropenia, HIV/AIDS, pregnancy, use of immunosuppressive drugs, mental illness (active psychosis, severe depression), Sjögren’s syndrome, obesity caused by endocrine disease (e.g., hypercortisolism, hypothyroidism), bulimia nervosa, and present/past history of head and neck cancer. In addition, subjects treated for periodontitis or used systemic antibiotic/anti-inflammatory medication within the last 6 months were also excluded.Enrolled subjects were assigned into a non-MetS or a MetS group (Fig. 
Flowchart of study participants