Fat cells

A new study has shown how targeting an enzyme within fat cells can alter sensitivity to leptin – a hormone that plays a key role in appetite regulation – and in turn drive rapid weight loss in obese mice, while also improving overall metabolic health.

A new study has shed light on a molecular process underpinning impaired metabolism and endurance in skeletal muscle associated with obesity, and reveals how a growth factor found in a South American plant can alleviate these deleterious effects.

Recent studies have shown how the compound celastrol can tackle obesity in mice, but with harmful side effects. A new understanding of how the compound works on a cellular level could allow these effects to be avoided.

A new study has revealed a novel signaling pathway through which bad fats are converted into healthier forms, opening up a new possibilities around weight loss and the improvement of metabolic health.

The hormone leptin is central to the way our bodies regulate appetite. A new study has revealed some of the molecular machinery behind its functioning, and shown how the loss of a key protein can drive insatiable appetites and obesity in mice.

A drug originally designed to treat Alzheimer’s has been found to reduce obesity and improve heart function in mice. The drug was previously found to be ineffective treating dementia, but it's suggested it could be useful in stimulating fat metabolism.

Scientists are turning considerable attention to the role our genes might play in obesity, and a new study has offered up some new potential targets by identifying groups of genes that appear to both cause weight gain and prevent it.

Deep-lying visceral fat stores are linked to a range of health conditions, but a new study has revealed a chain of command that guides their metabolism, opening up some exciting possibilities around how they might be more effectively burned away.

A new study is showing how fructose can alter cells in the small intestine, subsequently enhancing nutrient absorption and promoting weight gain. The research indicates excessive fructose consumption increases the body’s ability to absorb dietary fats.

Obesity is associated with many health problems, but in some specific cases it seems to be protective in the short term against cardiovascular disease. Now scientists may have uncovered one possible mechanism behind this mysterious “obesity paradox."

New research has revealed a microbial mechanism connecting obesity with heart disease. The study describes how a high-fat diet damages intestinal cells, leading to more bad bacteria that produce metabolites known to contribute to cardiovascular disease.

Scientists in China have identified a new mechanism by which the immune system boosts the production of fat in one of its favorable forms, with experiments demonstrating how it can be leveraged to prevent obesity and diabetes in susceptible mice.