Described herein are novel mono- and bicyclic compounds compounds, including compounds capable of modulating the activity of human peroxisome proliferator activated receptor of the subtype delta (hPPAR-delta), and methods for utilizing such modulation to treat a disease or condition mediated or impacted by hPPAR-delta activity such as Type 2 diabetes, syndrome X, dyslipidemia, and atherosclerotic diseases including vascular disease, coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral vessel disease. Also described are compounds that mediate and/or inhibit the activity of hPPAR-delta, and pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds or pharmaceutically acceptable prodrugs, solvates, salts, esters, thioesters, or amides or pharmaceutically active metabolites thereof. Further described are methods for making and producing such compounds. Also described are the therapeutic or prophylactic use of such compounds or compositions, and methods of treating metabolic disorders and conditions, by administering effective amounts of such compounds.