[Sleep/wake cycle, circadian disruption and the development of obesity].

It is increasingly recognized that obesity is an important health problem. The mechanisms that underlie obesity have not been fully elucidated, and effective therapeutic approaches are currently of general interest. Recent studies have provided evidence that circadian clock is a crucial factor in the development of obesity and related metabolic disease. Genetic disruption of clock genes in mice displayed metabolic dysfunctions of specific tissues at distinct phases of the sleep/wake cycle. In addition, circadian desynchrony, a characteristic of shift work and short sleep, are associated with obesity in human. Here, I describe the advances in understanding the interrelationship among circadian disruption, sleep deprivation and obesity.