Thus, we conclude that increased activation of YAP/TAZ in obese adipocytes suppresses expression of pro-apoptotic BIM and promotes expression of anti-apoptotic factors such as Bcl2 and Bcl2l2, and that these transcriptional regulatory effects contribute to the protective effect of YAP/TAZ against increased adipocyte cell death during obesity. This evidence concerns the gene BCL2L11 and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.