New research at the Institute sheds some light on a protein that could make it harder for overweight people to stick to a diet.
That protein helps regulate the effects of leptin - a hormone that reduces appetite and increases physical activity. People missing the leptin gene are invariably obese. It turns out, however, that this mutation is extremely rare; in fact, most chronically overweight people have too much leptin rather than too little. This happens because the body develops resistance to the hormone, so it amps up the signal, trying to be heard. It's also an indication that simply…
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