INS and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency: On the other hand, adiponectin, which has been described as an important adipokine related with obesity and insulin sensitivity, may also play a role in the early programming mechanisms involved in the effects of gestational undernutrition, as it exerts important effects on carbohydrate metabolism, improving glucose metabolism by increasing insulin sensitivity (Berg et al., 2001; Yamauchi et al., 2001).