Body fat and its influence on health and disease

This is a review of literature from 1963 taking into account the excellent reviews on body fat and its metabolism and scintillating research articles on the role of non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) and body fat depots in maintenance of health and also their dysfunction leading to chronic diseases that affect quality of life. Main objective of this paper is to highlight the significance of elevated plasma NEFA in type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity and the overall influence of depot fats in the maintenance of health.  Reduction in receptor mediated cell function in muscle due to loss of insulin sensitivity arising from elevated non-esterified fatty acid is given due recognition and is considered as an alternate route for development of strategies for the control of chronic diseases associated with energy dysfunction. In addition, glyceroneogenesis in adipose tissues that accompany fat synthesis can also considered as a possible site which could be targeted to reduce the elevated plasma NEFA.