Evidence from a new study shows that the extra fat in body is not just a dormant storage for surplus calories, but also it act as an organ that sends chemical signals to other parts of the body, which can in turn increase the risk of heart attacks, diabetes, cancer, and other diseases.

   Anja Rosenow and colleagues identified 80 different proteins produced by the fat cells. These include six new proteins and 20 proteins that have not been previously thought to exist in human fat cells. Many people once thought that fat cells were inert storage depots for surplus calories. But studies have established that fat cells can secrete certain hormones and other substances much like other organs in the body. Among those hormones is leptin, which controls appetite, and adiponectin, which makes the body more sensitive to insulin and controls blood sugar levels.