The History of Obesity Research

Perhaps the most unexpected development in pediatric endocrinology in the past 50 years has been the recognition of obesity as an endocrine/metabolic disorder rather than a life choice or moral failing. The history of obesity research is disjointed, having followed two separate paths in the 20th century, based on two independent yet overlapping paradigms. Proponents of the “Energy Storage” hypothesis point to data implicating monogenetic disorders, the ventromedial hypothalamus, insulin, cortisol, and the adipocyte itself in the pathogenesis of obesity. Alternatively, proponents of the “Energy Balance” hypothesis point to data implicating increased caloric intake, decreased caloric expenditure, gastrointestinal hormones, and microbiome changes as being critical for obesity. These two separate lines of research merged somewhat with the discovery of leptin in 1994, as leptin established a major hormonal role in weight control. Leptin has explained some of the dichotomy and has proved essential in understanding the importance of developmental programming and epigenetics. However, the mystery of leptin resistance remains unsolved. Despite all our collective knowledge, we appear no closer in solving the obesity puzzle today than we were 50 years ago.