Fat plays a surprising role in shaping your body and mind. For centuries, we’ve regarded body fat as an inert, lard-like substance. We carry it everywhere, and frequently despise it – yet this pale tissue is undergoing a radical reassessment. Far from a nuisance, it is an organ: one that is communicative, has its own memory and is capable of influencing everything from appetite and metabolism to mood and immunity. This shift in understanding is reshaping our view of body fat, and our understandi