Appetite regulation: from the gut to the hypothalamus

Obesity is a serious medical condition whose prevalence is rising. Figures from the Health Survey for England show that, in 1980, 8% of women and 6% of men were classified as obese, as defined by a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 30 kg/m2. By 2001, these proportions had increased to 26% and 22%, respectively, with 55% of women and 66% of men being overweight (BMI > 25 kg/m2; Health Survey for England, 2001), reflecting a worldwide trend...