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Adipose tissue (AT) expansion induces local hypoxia, a key contributor to the chronic low-grade inflammation that drives obesity-associated disease. Apple flavonols phloretin (PT) and phlorizin (PZ) are suggested anti-inflammatory molecules but their effectiveness in obese AT is inadequately understood. Using in vitro models designed to reproduce the obese AT microenvironment, 3T3-L1 adipocytes were cultured for 24 h with PT or PZ (100 &mu, M) concurrent with the inflammatory stimulus lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 ng/mL) and/or the hypoxia mimetic cobalt chloride (CoCl2, 100 &mu, M). Within each condition, PT was more potent than PZ and its effects were partially mediated by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-&gamma, (p &lt, 0.05), as tested using the PPAR-&gamma, antagonist bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE). In LPS-, CoCl2-, or LPS + CoCl2-stimulated adipocytes, PT reduced mRNA expression and/or secreted protein levels of inflammatory and macrophage chemotactic adipokines, and increased that of anti-inflammatory and angiogenic adipokines, which was consistent with reduced mRNA expression of M1 polarization markers and increased M2 markers in RAW 264.7 macrophages cultured in media collected from LPS + CoCl2-simulated adipocytes (p &lt, 0.05). Further, within LPS + CoCl2-stimulated adipocytes, PT reduced reactive oxygen species accumulation, nuclear factor-&kappa, B activation, and apoptotic protein expression (p &lt, 0.05). Overall, apple flavonols attenuate critical aspects of the obese AT phenotype.