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Clairice Beckett Leptin and Obesity: Is There Really a Connection? To be able to discuss Leptin's affects on obesity, one must know what leptin is. Leptin is a hormone that acts as a messenger to tell the body when to stop eating. Leptin is produced by fat cells and sent to the hypothalamus. (The hypothalamus is the part of the brain that influences eating behavior.) So basically, when you are full, this hormone is responsible for telling to stop eating. The theory is, an obese person lacks hormone production and they do not know when they are full. Therefore, they keep eating and eating until they are 300+ pounds. Obesity in children has been rising quickly in the United States. Doctors and scientists are now exploring the possibilities of giving obese children leptin to help control their cravings. One study being conducted by Dr. I. Sadaf Farooqui of Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, England shows that leptin is not an effective weight l