Brown fat: Implications in obesity

Brown fat, also known as brown adipose tissue, is a special type of fat that "turns on" (becomes activated) when you get cold, to help maintain body temperature. Importantly, brown fat is a biological fuel that can increase the metabolic rate, decrease fat storage, and thereby, lower one's propensity for developing obesity. Interestingly, it was previously thought that individuals were born with only a finite number of brown fat cells. Here, and for the first time, a recent publication in the journal Scientific Reports identifies that brown fat can continue to grow and divide, even after birth. This finding has major implications; scientists can try to increase the overall number of these cells to prevent or reduce the onset of obesity.