Obesity

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 new study has shown how short spurts of so-called fasting-mimicking diets can bring about a range of benefits in otherwise unhealthy mice, ultimately preventing the buildup of fat and onset of obesity.

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.

Can the make-up of your gut microbiome affect the success of a weight loss intervention? A unique new study is indicating this is certainly possible, identifying several mechanisms by which gut bacteria can either help or hinder weight loss.

Research has found a common pesticide may promote obesity by slowing the calorie-burning ability of certain fat cells. The animal study indicates chlorpyrifos, to be banned in the US, promotes food intake and suppresses thermogenesis in brown fat.

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."

A team of scientists in the US investigating the relationship between metabolic syndrome and a key hormone have demonstrated how a promising new drug could play an important preventative role in a variety of conditions, including obesity and diabetes.

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.

A new study has dug into the molecular underpinnings of the relationship between weight training and weight loss, and identified a new mechanism through which muscle cells deliver instructions that send fat cells into fat-burning mode.