Under obesity conditions, excess free fatty acids (FFAs) decrease the lipid storage capability of adipose tissue, resulting in hypertrophic adipocytes and overproduction of adipokines and cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interferon-γ, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and IL-18 triggering systemic inflammation (5, 6). The gene discussed is IL6; the disease is obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.