This special issue of the International Journal of Obesity is devoted to the proceedings of a conference held on 3 and 4 March 2008, at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Center. At least one-third of the research effort of the Center in basic science, clinical research and population science relates to obesity. It was therefore an easy choice to decide that the anniversary conference would be on an obesity theme. After much deliberation, the four co-organizers decided to plan the event so that it would allow for a comprehensive review of the most important advances that have occurred in the field over the last 50 years. Elsewhere in the supplement, you will find more information on the selection of the topics retained as representatives of the 20 most important discoveries or advances in the field of obesity as determined by the undersigned. The papers published in this supplement are presented in the order that they were scheduled on the two-day program.
We thank our sponsors whose listing and logos appear in this publication. We also express our gratitude to the Pennington Biomedical Research Foundation for its support to the event. We are also indebted to Dr Phillip Brantley and Ms Anne Schulte of the Center's Division of Education and their associates for their many contributions to the organization and conduct of the conference. Mr Glen Duncan and his colleagues of the Communications Services of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center were very helpful in promoting the conference and we are indebted to them. Thanks also for the many volunteers who provided support throughout the conference. Our gratitude to Ms Nina Laidlaw, who ensured that the papers were presented according to the publisher style and that the publication occurred in a timely manner.
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