Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a downstream target of HIF‐1α whose gene expression within adipose tissue has been shown to increase with obesity (He et al. 2011) and may be necessary for WAT growth (Nishimura et al. 2007), perhaps by promoting angiogenesis and preventing WAT hypoxia and attenuating inflammation. The gene discussed is VEGFA; the disease is obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.