This is our second issue of 2023 and it is heavy on research on various aspects of the metabolic syndrome. This is, of course, particularly appropriate as insulin resistance, prediabetic states, and frank diabetes are impacting an even larger part of the population worldwide than they were just a few years ago. It is estimated that up to half of the population of the USA will be obese by 2030 [1]. Obesity should be seen by all as a disease, chronic, and relapsing, regardless of the cause [2].

Several articles in this issue, including the role of the gastric fundus on glycemic control [3], the molecular mechanisms of diabetic nephropathy [4] and the effects of epicardial adipose tissue on cardiac function [5], the use of an insulin-mimetic compound in rats [6], and the study of insulin resistance-associated parameters in the US population [7] come in parallel with the increasing use of semaglutide and similar drugs for weight loss. On March 2, 2023, The Economist, a non-scientific journal that mainly deals with economic and political issues, dedicated its cover to this new class of medications, the title being “Eat, inject, repeat” [8]. It is a recognition of the impact of obesity globally on healthcare systems and society at large. In the USA, five medications (orlistat, phentermine plus topiramate, naltrexone plus bupropion, liraglutide, and semaglutide) have been approved for long-term use in individuals with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more with no weight-related comorbidities or 27 or more with weight-related comorbidities [9]. Interestingly, we read in this issue of the journal that obesity was recognized early in human societies, as seems to be demonstrated by the mother goddess found at the neolithic settlement in Çatalhöyük in what is now modern-day Turkey [10]. As previously stressed [11, 12], Hormones will continue to publish the highest quality research on all matters related to obesity, the metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance, along with their causes and treatments [13,14,15].

There are other excellent articles in this issue on reproductive endocrinology [16,17,18], including a historical assessment of whether Samson had high serum testosterone levels [19], as well as on the pituitary, the thyroid, and the adrenal glands [20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28], thereby continuing our wide coverage of all hormonal fields and always committed to publishing the best and the latest. Enjoy yet another remarkable collection of articles!