Weight loss hope in fast-burning fat cell discovery

Fast-burning fat cells have been identified by Melbourne researchers in a world first which could help people lose weight and identify those at risk of diabetes and fatty liver disease.

Fast-burning fat cells have been identified by Melbourne researchers in a world first which could help people lose weight and identify those at risk of diabetes and fatty liver disease.

Until now it was believed there was only one type of fat cell but researchers have discovered there are actually three, proving a game changer for the medical world.

Figures show 70 per cent of Australians are overweight or obese and one in five kids is also overweight.

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The University of Melbourne research showed one of the discovered cells burned fat at a high rate, paving the way to help people lose weight.

Another of the fat cells released lots of fat into the bloodstream. If it was blocked, it could help prevent diseases including fatty liver. The third fat cell was deemed benign.

The findings will be published on Wednesday.

The paper’s senior author, Matthew Watt, who is head of physiology at the University of Melbourne, said unlocking the fat cells for different treatments was the next step in fighting obesity, Type 2 diabetes and other diseases.

He said the findings, published on Wednesday in Cell Reports, indicated the makeup of these cells helped determine a person’s health.

Figures show 70 per cent of Australians are overweight or obese and one in five kids is also overweight.

“These fats cells look the same but act very differently,’ he said.

“If we can understand fat composition in people we can understand what metabolic disease risks they have.

“If we were to understand how to turn on fat burning cells or to turn them off or down we could develop treatments for people with metabolic diseases like Type 2 diabetes.”

Prof Watt said now that the discovery had been made there was a 10-year plan to develop medicine that would allow the fat cells to be manipulated.

He said this would allow for treatment of some illnesses and be less invasive than bariatric surgery.

“The current problem with obesity medication is that it is inadequate,” he said.

“There is nothing that is effective for long-term and sustainable treatment of obesity and that’s what is so significant about what we have uncovered.

“The hope is we will be able to achieve better medicine for obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

“We are very much on the right path of treating metabolic diseases and obesity.”

Prof Watt said while the fat cell discovery was groundbreaking, people should still stick to life’s basics to achieve a healthy lifestyle including healthy eating and daily exercise to combat obesity.

“There is also a need to think about developing new medication to treat those people who can’t exercise or don’t have access to healthy living,” he said.

A clinical trial was now needed to help establish the link between certain fat cells and health traits.

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