The cover picture shows thermograms of an obese woman. In this issue of Diabetologia (51: 1356-1367), Di Marzo reviews our knowledge of the role of the endocannabinoid system in obesity and type 2 diabetes. In human obese patients, high circulating levels of endocannabinoids are associated with intra-abdominal obesity, hyperglycaemia and several metabolic risk factors. These findings, together with evidence from animal studies, provide a rationale for the use of type 1 cannabinoid receptor antagonists, not only for weight reduction, but also for the treatment of dyslipidaemia, dyslipoproteinaemia and insulin resistance and for the prevention of type 2 diabetes. Download the high resolution cover image
Cover credit: DR RAY CLARK & MERVYN GOFF/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY