The main focus of this book is on brown adipose tissue and its metabolic function. The book provides a timely update on the latest research and shows where the field is heading. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) dissipates energy and has received considerable attention in the last few years, having been re-discovered in adult humans in 2007/9. Moreover, BAT might offer a target for novel therapies to address obesity, a health condition that has reached pandemic dimensions.

The world is faced with an epidemic of metabolic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. This is due to changes in dietary habits and the decrease in physical activity. Exercise is usually part of the prescription, the first line of defense, to prevent or treat metabolic disorders. However, we are still learning how and why exercise provides metabolic benefits in human health. This open access volume focuses on the cellular and molecular pathways that link exercise, muscle biology, hormones and metabolism. This will include novel “myokines” that might act as new therapeutic agents in the future.