Agents useful for the treatment of various metabolic disorders, such as insulin resistance syndrome, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, fatty liver disease, cachexia, obesity, atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis are disclosed. Formula (I), wherein n is 1 or 2; m is 0 or 1; q is 0 or 1; t is 0 or 1; R.sup.5 is alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; R.sup.9 is hydrogen, halo, alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or alkoxy having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; A is phenyl, unsubstituted or substituted by I or 2 groups selected from: halo, alkyl having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, perfluoromethyl, alkoxy having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, and perfluoromethoxy; or cycloalkyl having from 3 to 6 ring carbon atoms wherein the cycloalkyl is unsubstituted or one or two ring carbons are independently monosubstituted by methyl or ethyl; or a 5 or 6 membered heteroaromatic ring having 1 or 2 ring heteroatoms selected from N, S and 0 and the heteroaromatic ring is covalently bound to the remainder of the compound of formula I by a ring carbon; and X is --CH.sub.2--, Q is --OR.sup.1and R.sup.1 is methyl or ethyl; or X is --CH.sub.2CR.sup.12R.sup.13-- or --CH.sub.2CH(NHAc)-- wherein each of R.sup.12 and R.sup.13 is independently hydrogen or methyl, Q is OR.sup.1and R.sup.1 is hydrogen or alkyl having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms; or X is --CH.sub.2CH.sub.2-- and Q is NR.sup.10R.sup.1, wherein one of R.sup.10 and R.sup.11 is hydrogen, alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms or hydroxy, and the other is hydrogen. Alternatively, when R.sup.1 is hydrogen, the biologically active agent can be a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of the compound of Formula (I).