"As mental health is now the most common reason people are on sick leave, or absent from work due to ill health, this has major implications for public health." Taylor added that, "this is a strong suggestion that they could be considered as treatments for depression or anxiety in the diabetic or obese populations." 'Quite strong' The researchers couldn't say precisely why the mental health benefits occurred Still, research director Docent Markku Lhteenvuo from the University of Eastern Finland said that the association "was quite strong." "It is possible that, in addition to factors such as reduced alcohol consumption, weight loss-related improvements in body image, or relief associated with better glycemic control in diabetes, there may also be direct neurobiological mechanisms involved, for example, through changes in the functioning of the brains reward system, Lhteenvuo said in the release

This class of drugs continue to show benefits far beyond weight loss, said researcher Christopher Kramer, MD, chief of UVA Healths Division of Cardiovascular Medicine
10.1111/cen.12294 Clin Endocrinol
Recently another protein has been identified that is present in the synovium and when activated will initiate a whole range of responses that result in a proliferation of synovial cells which then go on to damage the joint