Overweight and obesity have become a major health problem, especially because of related comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes type 2, and certain types of cancer. The last decade numerous studies have been published on the effects of relatively high protein diets on body-weight loss. Results indicate that a high protein diet may decrease body weight more compared with control diets and improve weight maintenance after weight loss. The work presented and discussed in this Protein Summit relates to the effects of dietary proteins on energy intake as well as on energy expenditure and further metabolic targets.

The somatotropic axis, also known as the growth hormone (GH) - Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) axis, originates in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Through the central release of GH and peripheral production of IGF-1, the somatotropic axis is involved in linear growth and intermediary metabolism. Disorders as visceral obesity and growth retardation in children are characterised by a low activity of the somatotropic axis. Repeated injection of GH, also named GH therapy, decreases visceral adipose tissue, increases muscle mass and bone density and furthermore stimulates lineair growth in children. In addition to GH therapy, sleep, physical activity and nutrition influences the endogenous GH secretion. These issues are dealt with during the protein summit, from a neuroendocrinological, physiological and pathophysiological perspective.

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