The invention is related to the use of cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1) for the treatment of obesity and associated disorders: hyperglycaemias, insulin resistance, development of type 2 diabetes and dyslipemias and given its anorexigenic role, fat oxidation stimulant, hypoglycaemic, sensitizing agent of the action of insulin on a skeletal muscle level and inhibitor of the intestinal transport of glucose by enterocytes.