Could turning white fat to brown hold key to new obesity treatment?

A new approach to obesity could be on the horizon, say scientists from the University of Pennsylvania, who believe they have found the secret for turning white fat into brown fat. Their findings are published online in the journal Genes and Development.

Fat is not just fat. The human body has different types of fat, and they fulfill different purposes.

White fat cells, also known as white adipocytes, store fat. They are filled with fat molecules. If they contain too much fat, a person becomes obese.

Brown fat, on the other hand, is sometimes called "good" fat. Brown fat cells, or brown adipocytes, form the "baby fat" seen in infants.

Brown fat transfers energy from food into heat, in a process known as thermogenesis. This heat protects the body from cold, and the process of burning the fat prevents obesity and related disorders, including diabetes. Adults have much less brown fat than infants.

Obesity has been linked to a number of health problems, including cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

More than 1 in 3 adults in the United States live with obesity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2008, obesity was estimated to cost $147 billion in medical care. Medical costs for a person with obesity were around $1,429 higher than for people without obesity.

Obesity and related conditions are considered largely preventable. Lifestyle changes are recommended for reducing obesity. However, in severe cases, people may undergo surgery.

One reason why this happened was that the cells started producing more mitochondria - the minuscule oxygen reactors that provide chemical energy inside cells. In brown fat cells, the mitochondria convert energy into heat.