Obesity

Overweight and obesity are defined by the WHO as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to an individuals health.

Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer and while it was once an issue only in high income countries, overweight and obesity has now dramatically risen in low- and middle-income countries.Such countries are now facing a "double burden" of disease, for while they continue to deal with the problems of infectious disease and under-nutrition, they are also experiencing a rapid upsurge in chronic disease risk factors such as obesity and overweight, particularly in urban settings.

What is Obesity?

Obesity and overweight have in the last decade become a global problem - according to the World Health Organization (WHO) back in 2005 approximately 1.6 billion adults over the of age 15+ were overweight, at least 400 million adults were obese and at least 20 million children under the age of 5 years were overweight.

Causes of Obesity and Overweight

Obesity, What Can be Done?

What is Body Mass Index (BMI)?

Obesity and Fast Food

Obesity and Exercise

Obesity Management

Obesity and Blood Pressure

Obesity and Diabetes

Obesity and Cancer

Obesity and Depression

Obesity and Autism

See more featured articles »

Obesity and Sleep

Obesity and Hormones

Obesity and Genetics

Obesity in Adults

Obesity in Pregnancy

Obesity and Infertility

Obesity and Sexual Health

Obesity and Stress

Obesity and Fractures

Obesity and Arthritis

Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity Epidemiology

What is Obesity Paradox?

Obesity and Periodontitis

Obesity in Children

Obesity and Respiratory Disorders

Obesity and Heart Disease

Obesity and Anesthesia

Obesity and Skin Problems

Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated Gene (FTO)

What does Sleeve Gastrectomy Involve?

Dieting for Obese Children

Abdominal Obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome

Why is Visceral Fat Dangerous?

Latest Obesity News and Research

COVID-19 associated with higher risk of erectile dysfunction

Men previously diagnosed with COVID-19 are at a greater risk of developing new-onset erectile dysfunction.

31 May 2024

Wake Forest researchers to study bone health post-bariatric surgery with $1.5 million NIH grant

Researchers at Wake Forest University of School of Medicine have received a five-year, $1.5 million grant from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, to study bone microarchitecture in patients following bariatric surgery.

30 May 2024

Canagliflozin: A breakthrough in senolytic treatment for aging-related diseases

Aging-related physiological decline and the accumulation of senescent or aging cells in bodily tissues can trigger a number of diseases.

30 May 2024

Mayo Clinic researchers uncover microbial signatures linked to gynecologic cancers

Early detection improves treatment outcomes for endometrial and ovarian cancers, yet far too often women are diagnosed in advanced stages of these diseases.

30 May 2024

Female and male heart failure may require distinct treatments

A new study from the UC Davis School of Medicine found striking differences at the cellular level between male and female mice with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

30 May 2024

Exercise-induced exerkines: Secret weapon in disease prevention and therapy

A recent review in Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy highlights the role of exercise-induced molecules, exerkines, in disease prevention and treatment, emphasizing their molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential.

29 May 2024

Pregnant women less likely to suffer long COVID, study finds

A new study in EClinicalMedicine found that SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy is linked to a lower risk of developing post-acute sequelae (PASC) compared to infection outside of pregnancy.

29 May 2024

Oral semaglutide shows significant promise in improving diabetes control and cardiovascular health, study reveals

A recent study in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that oral semaglutide significantly improves glycemic control and reduces body weight in type 2 diabetes patients after 24 weeks of treatment.

29 May 2024

Study finds kidney complications following heart failure hospitalization

In a study of Medicare beneficiaries, researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital found that one year after hospitalization for heart failure, 6 percent of patients had progressed to dialysis.

29 May 2024

Study reveals new link between high temperature exposure and sphingolipid metabolism in obesity

In contemporary society, obesity has emerged as a worldwide chronic metabolic disorder, imposing substantial burdens on both individual health and healthcare systems.

29 May 2024

Study links low oxytocin levels to symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome

The role of oxytocin (OT) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

29 May 2024

GLP-1 receptor agonists effective for weight loss in obesity without diabetes

The benefit-harm balance of initiating Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (RAs) versus a placebo intervention.

29 May 2024

Study highlights a dietary strategy for health improvement and weight management

A new study by researchers from Arizona State University and their colleagues highlights a dietary strategy for significant health improvement and weight management.

28 May 2024

Semaglutide shows significant kidney benefits in non-diabetic obese patients with heart disease

A recent study in Nature Medicine shows semaglutide reduces kidney risks in non-diabetic obese patients with cardiovascular disease by 22%. The SELECT trial results highlight semaglutide's benefits for kidney function and overall cardiovascular health.

28 May 2024

New paper reveals the broad potential of TNIK as a therapeutic target for some aging-related diseases

A new paper in Trends in Pharmacological Sciences from researchers at generative artificial intelligence (AI)- and robotics-powered clinical stage drug discovery company Insilico Medicine ("Insilico") and ETH Zurich reveals the broad potential of TNIK as a therapeutic target for some of the most pervasive aging-related diseases, including fibrosis, cancer, obesity, and Alzheimer's.

28 May 2024

Discovery of promising protein candidate opens new avenues for treating metabolic disorders

A University of Saskatchewan (USask) research team's discovery of the additional health benefits of an appetite-suppressing protein has doubled the potential for scientists to find new avenues for treating obesity and metabolic disorders in animals and people.

28 May 2024

Oral semaglutide shows promising results for type 2 diabetes in routine clinical settings

Semaglutide and its effects on glycemic control, body weight (BW), and tolerability in routine clinical practice.

28 May 2024

Heavy menstrual bleeding raises heart disease risk in young women

Study found that heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) is linked to increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in young women, even without irregular menstruation.

28 May 2024

Study links high sugar intake to lower childhood asthma risk, while fat, magnesium, and vitamin D increase it

Using Mendelian Randomization, researchers found that high sugar intake may lower childhood asthma risk, while high fat, magnesium, and vitamin D intake increase it.

27 May 2024

WHO introduces first-ever Investment Round to address global health challenges

The World Health Organization (WHO) launched its first-ever Investment Round on Sunday as part of a broader plan to transform the way the Organization is funded heading into an era of climate change, mass migration, pandemic threats, an aging world population, and turbulent geopolitics.

27 May 2024