Lastly, since diminished mitochondrial function may play a pivotal role in mechanisms regulating insulin resistance, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and other metabolic disorders, it remains to be seen whether specific molecular agonists for SIRT3 activity can reverse metabolic disorders such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and/or inflammatory complications of a high fat diet. Here, SIRT3 is linked to obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.