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OBESITY AND METABOLIC DISEASE

Umami taste—a novel mechanism driving food intake and obesity

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Over-nutrition is a major driver of obesity, but the mechanisms that promote and perpetuate it remain poorly understood. A recent study explores a role for umami taste in driving leptin resistance, hyperphagia and hypothalamic inflammation via overproduction of uric acid.

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Fig. 1: Distinct but overlapping mechanisms driving obesity induced by different diets.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA

    Lisa R. Beutler

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  1. Lisa R. Beutler
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Correspondence to Lisa R. Beutler.

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The author declares no competing interests.

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Beutler, L.R. Umami taste—a novel mechanism driving food intake and obesity. Nat Metab 3, 1142–1143 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-021-00445-0

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