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Although often considered a cosmetic problem, obesity is a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and certain forms of cancer. Worldwide, 300 million people are obese and this figure is on the rise. In the UK, the treatment of obesity related disease currently costs the National Health Service £1 billion annually, with costs in the US reaching $123 billion annually.
Research has shown that the development of obesity is more complicated than a simple equation of calories. Over the past 15 years our understanding of the chemical signals involved in weight balance has grown. The hormones leptin, adiponectin and ghrelin have been shown to control food intake and modify appetite. These hormones represent potential biomarkers as well as therapeutic targets.
Many pharmaceutical companies are developing treatments to target the growing obese population. Additionally, the study of obesity and the psychology of eating disorders has become a highly specialized area. For these reasons, the Covance Clinical Research Unit at Leeds has designed the HAL for the purpose of testing drug compounds for safety and efficacy under carefully controlled conditions.
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