A protein has been identified by researchers from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) that plays a key role in how the brain regulates appetite and metabolism. Loss of the protein, XRN1, from the forebrain, resulted in obese mice with an insatiable appetite. The findings of the study were published in the journal ‘iScience’. Obesity is a growing public health concern, with over 650 million adults worldwide designated as obese. The condition has been linked to many disorders, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer.