Zhou et al. [44] recently reported that upregulating BCAA catabolism by inhibiting BCKD kinase (BCKDK), an enzyme that phosphorylates and inhibits BCKD, could improve insulin sensitivity in genetically induced obese mice, but this model may not actually mimic obesity in human (the BCAA levels were not elevated in these mice). Here, INS is linked to obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.