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Tirzepatide rewires appetite and slashes calorie intake in new obesity trial

A 6-week randomized trial found that tirzepatide significantly reduced energy intake, appetite, and cravings in adults with overweight or obesity, outperforming liraglutide and placebo. Brain imaging revealed that tirzepatide also lowered neural responses to high-fat, high-sugar food cues, offering mechanistic insight into its potent weight-loss effects.

25 Jun 2025

Missing gut bacteria in US babies triples allergy and eczema risk

US infants lacking Bifidobacterium in their gut microbiome face significant changes in microbial composition, metabolic function, and immune-related health risks. This large, nationally representative study links early-life Bifidobacterium deficits to a three-fold increase in eczema, allergy, or asthma by age two.

25 Jun 2025

Prenatal exposure to nitrates associated with increased risk of preterm birth

Even low levels of nitrate-a common agricultural runoff and drinking water contaminant-are associated with increased risks of preterm birth and low birthweight babies, according to a new study published June 25 in PLOS Water by Jason Semprini of Des Moines University College of Health Sciences, US.

25 Jun 2025

Prenatal air pollution exposure linked to higher childhood obesity risk

Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy, specifically to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), may increase the risk of childhood overweight or obesity.

25 Jun 2025

Artificial intelligence advances early detection and management of myopia

The increasing prevalence of myopia is a global health concern, with high myopia increasing the risk of vision damage.

25 Jun 2025

Uncommitted cells offer clues to neuroblastoma regression

Neuroblastoma is a cancer that affects the sympathetic nervous system of children. It is unusual among cancers because it shows a range of outcomes: from aggressive, potentially fatal progression to a unique phenomenon where the tumor spontaneously regresses even without treatment.

25 Jun 2025

What RFK Jr. isn’t talking about: How to make vaccines safer

Within an hour of receiving a covid vaccination in November 2020, Utah preschool teacher Brianne Dressen felt pins and needles through her arms and legs.

25 Jun 2025

Omega-3 fatty acids linked to increased inflammation markers

Omega-3 fatty acids, popularly believed to reduce inflammation in the body, appear to increase certain inflammatory markers, researchers have found.

25 Jun 2025

Medicaid cuts threaten health care access in rural America

Major cuts to Medicaid funding could have rural communities across the country facing widespread hospital closures and reduced access to health care, says Michael Shepherd, a health policy researcher at the University of Michigan.

25 Jun 2025

Are we ready for bugs at dinner, or is the world just not that hungry for change?

Insect-based foods face major barriers, including taste, cost, and cultural acceptance, that limit their potential to replace meat in Western diets. The review finds that plant-based alternatives remain more promising for reducing environmental impacts.

24 Jun 2025

Once-monthly obesity injection shows double-digit weight loss in major clinical trial

Researchers found that once-monthly maridebart cafraglutide led to substantial weight loss and improved glycemic control in adults with obesity, with or without diabetes, in a phase 2 randomized trial. The drug demonstrated an acceptable safety profile and supports further study in phase 3 trials.

24 Jun 2025

Louisiana and Texas test new laws to shield teens from junk food ads on social media

Researchers are studying how new laws in Louisiana and Texas that restrict adolescent social media use and targeted food advertising impact teens’ exposure to junk food marketing. The protocol uses real-time screen recording and surveys to measure the effects on health equity.

24 Jun 2025

Unhealthy teen diets reshape the brain and drive lifelong eating habits, study finds

Adolescent diets high in fat and sugar disrupt the development of the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, impacting cognition, memory, and impulse control. These brain changes can promote unhealthy eating behaviors and obesity risk that persist into adulthood.

24 Jun 2025

Study: Intravenous rehydration ‘safe’ for severely malnourished children

Children with critical levels of malnutrition can be safely rehydrated intravenously, according to a new study that calls for a review of the existing global treatment guidelines.

24 Jun 2025

Study identifies potential way to slow or block progression of age-related macular degeneration

A new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis identifies a possible way to slow or block progression of age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in people over age 50.

24 Jun 2025

Simpler virus testing approach could reduce unnecessary PCR tests in high-risk settings

The COVID-19 pandemic yielded important advances in testing for respiratory viruses, but it also exposed important unmet needs in screening to prevent the spread of infections in high-risk settings.

24 Jun 2025

New expandable heart valve offers hope for young children with heart defects

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have successfully performed preclinical laboratory testing of a replacement heart valve intended for toddlers and young children with congenital cardiac defects, a key step toward obtaining approval for human use.

23 Jun 2025

Genetically engineered skin grafts help heal chronic wounds in patients with epidermolysis bullosa

Skin grafts genetically engineered from a patient's own cells can heal persistent wounds in people with an extremely painful dermatologic disease, a Stanford Medicine-led clinical trial has shown.

23 Jun 2025

New AI-based brain mapping tool receives FDA clearance for use in neurosurgery

A new AI-based technology that rapidly maps the brain to locate sensitive areas that control speech, vision, movement and other critical functions has received authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), enabling it to be marketed to hospitals with the aim of enhancing the precision of neurosurgeries.

23 Jun 2025

Most British babies eat processed snacks before age one, study finds

Researchers in the UK found that over 87% of parents give processed snack foods to babies and toddlers, often introducing them well before the recommended age. Brand marketing, convenience, and misleading “health halo” claims are major drivers behind these widespread feeding habits.

23 Jun 2025