The Biologic Basis of Obesity

We all know that maintaining a constant weight can be a challenge – obesity is highly prevalent, and Americans spend billions of dollars every year looking for solutions. But what is the biology of weight regulation? What really drives our appetites?

One key player in regulating weight and metabolism is a hormone called leptin. Secreted by fat tissue, leptin helps control feeding behaviors, body weight, and glucose metabolism.

Dr. Jeffrey Friedman, Marilyn M. Simpson Professor and head of the Laboratory of Molecular Genetics at Rockefeller University, first discovered leptin’s role in the body. Here, he discusses what he and his colleagues have learned about the biological processes that regulate weight and appetite, and how further research could lead to a better understanding of - and possibly even treatments for - obesity and other metabolic disorders.