IL1B and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency: Alternatively, obesity is associated with higher CRP via an increased mechanical load placed on joints, leading to ‘wear and tear’ (Griffin and Guilak, 2005) and increased expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1β and TNF-α) (Thijssen et al., 2015) which promote CRP production.