Scientists conducting experiments on mice have noticed that overfeeding the rodents triggers a reaction in the hypothalamus region of the brain. This region, which normally should be dormant, when triggered, controls appetite and feeding behavior. Scientists believe that persistent stimuli from an excessive amount of calories can cause this master switch to turn even before traces of obesity can be noticed. Researchers also believe that the experiments conducted on lab mice can easily apply to humans and that this might just be an important step forward in the fight against obesity.

Currently, diets and regular exercise are the most common ways to fight off obesity, but these are not enough for a long-term healthy feeding behavior. The need to eat is chemical and diet and physical exercises are the short-term solution. Suppressing the pathway to the master switch in the hypothalamus can be a reliable weapon against obesity and other related diseases. Until now, the brain was thought of as a simple bystander in what causes obesity and eating too much, which causes inflammatory response in muscles and liver, was the main culprit.

When turned on, the master switch makes the body resilient to insulin and leptin and so the body has no control over the sugar levels in the blood. Another thing scientists have noted is that the master switch in the hypothalamus controls inflammation and even if it can be turned off to fight obesity, leaving it switched off for long is not a good idea, as inflammation is used to fight off infections. Still, the most effective weapon against obesity is a well balanced diet, regular exercise and a healthy life style. Unfortunately, obesity is one of the most common diseases today, affecting two thirds of U.S. adults.