This invention discloses compounds that alter PPAR activity. The invention also discloses pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the compounds, pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising the compounds or their salts, and methods of using them as therapeutic agents for treating or preventing disipidemia, hypercholesteremia, obesity, eating disorders, hyperglycemia, atherosclerosis, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperinsulinemia and diabetes in a mammal as well as methods of supressing appetite and modulating leptin levels in a mammal. The present invention also discloses methods for making the disclosed compounds.