Appetite News and Research

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Hypothalamic neurons help maintain blood sugar during daily activities

The brain controls the release of glucose in a wide range of stressful circumstances, including fasting and low blood sugar levels.

21 Aug 2025

Seattle’s Fresh Bucks program boosts food security and diet but benefits fade when funding ends

A lottery-based cohort study of Seattle’s Fresh Bucks program found that providing a $40 monthly fruit and vegetable benefit improved food security by 5.5 percentage points and increased daily produce consumption by 7.5 percentage points, while disenrollment reversed these gains. These findings highlight the potential of healthy food benefit programs to reduce nutrition-related disparities in low-income populations.

21 Aug 2025

Low FODMAP diet increases GLP-1 and relieves IBS symptoms

This study reveals that a low FODMAP diet alleviates IBS symptoms and increases GLP-1 levels, suggesting new avenues for dietary interventions in gut health.

20 Aug 2025

Study clarifies how amylin receptors respond to drugs

Amylin, a hormone that controls appetite and blood sugar by activating three different receptors in the brain, could be the basis for the next blockbuster obesity drugs.

19 Aug 2025

Ultra-processed foods undermine diet quality in Mediterranean youth, study shows

A large study across five Mediterranean countries found that children and adolescents who consumed more unhealthy ultra-processed foods (UPFs) had significantly poorer diet quality. Daily UPF intake was especially linked to lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet and reduced compliance with dietary guidelines.

18 Aug 2025

GIPR signaling opens brain’s gate for GLP-1 weight-loss therapy

A Cell Metabolism study reveals that GIPR signaling in oligodendrocytes enhances brain access and weight-loss efficacy of GLP-1R agonists by increasing vascular permeability and targeting appetite-regulating neurons. This mechanism may explain why GIPR/GLP-1R co-agonists outperform single-agent therapies.

14 Aug 2025

Surprising sweetness differences in popular U.S. infant formulas

A study on infant formulas reveals significant differences in sweetness, highlighting the impact of ingredients on children's nutrition and taste preferences.

14 Aug 2025

Brain’s energy control map offers blueprint for next-gen weight loss therapies

Scientists map how the brain integrates hormonal and neural signals from the body to control appetite, energy use, and reward pathways, revealing targets for next-generation anti-obesity drugs. This review highlights the interplay between neuroendocrine circuits, neuroplasticity, and pharmacotherapy for durable, non-aversive weight loss.

11 Aug 2025

Clever menu reshuffling leads diners to choose healthier and greener meals

Pioneering research has uncovered a cunning way to curry favour with diners' food choices, so they're more likely to select meals which have a much lower carbon footprint and reduced fat content.

11 Aug 2025

CRISPR screening uncovers microproteins involved in fat storage

The obesity rate has more than doubled in the last 30 years, affecting more than one billion people worldwide.

7 Aug 2025

Immune aging drives the progression of type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a global metabolic epidemic driven by insulin resistance (IR), chronic inflammation, and β-cell failure.

6 Aug 2025

Research offers hope for weight loss without gastrointestinal distress

Weight loss and diabetes drugs on the market often do not achieve long-term weight loss for patients. GLP-1 drugs target brain neurons that control appetite but frequently cause side effects.

5 Aug 2025

Are all healthy diets equal or does food processing make a difference?

A randomized crossover trial in the UK found that both ultra-processed (UPF) and minimally processed food (MPF) diets, when aligned with national guidelines, led to weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity. However, the MPF diet produced significantly greater reductions in weight, fat mass, and food cravings, highlighting the added benefits of limiting food processing.

5 Aug 2025

Leptin could offer alternative to insulin for managing type 1 diabetes complication

More than a decade ago, researchers found that an acute complication of type 1 diabetes, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), can be resolved with the hormone leptin, even in the absence of insulin.

4 Aug 2025

New treatment shows greater success in reducing binge eating among veterans

Researchers from University of California San Diego have found that a novel treatment called regulation of cues combined with behavioral weight loss (ROC+BWL) was more effective than standard cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in reducing binge eating among veterans with overweight or obesity.

4 Aug 2025

New study shows brain's role in diabetic ketoacidosis

More than a decade ago, researchers found that an acute complication of type 1 diabetes, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), can be resolved with the hormone leptin, even in the absence of insulin.

1 Aug 2025

Gut bacteria produce hormone-like proteins that regulate weight and blood sugar

Our intestines are home to trillions of microorganisms that produce substances capable of regulating all the body's organs via the bloodstream and the gut's nervous system.

31 Jul 2025

Gut microbial metabolites restore hormone-producing cells in obesity

New research from scientists at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine reveals that certain gut microbial byproducts may hold promise as a novel therapy for obesity-associated metabolic complications by restoring critical hormone-producing cells in the intestine.

29 Jul 2025

Global hunger declines slightly but Africa and Western Asia face growing crisis

An estimated 8.2 percent of the global population, or about 673 million people, experienced hunger in 2024, down from 8.5 percent in 2023 and 8.7 percent in 2022.

29 Jul 2025