Body Mass Index (BMI) News and Research

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Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure that relates body weight to height. BMI is sometimes used to measure total body fat and whether a person is a healthy weight. Excess body fat is linked to an increased risk of some diseases including heart disease and some cancers.

Ketogenic diet reverses obesity-linked biological aging by over 6 years

Obesity speeds up biological aging at the molecular level, but this study finds that a very-low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) can significantly reverse this effect.

24 Mar 2025

A pecan a day keeps bad cholesterol away

Daily consumption of 57g of pecans for 12 weeks improved cholesterol profiles and diet quality in adults at risk of cardiometabolic disease, without affecting vascular health. Replacing typical snacks with pecans led to higher intake of healthy fats and fiber, and reduced carbohydrate consumption.

24 Mar 2025

Waist circumference identified as a stronger cancer risk marker in men

Body size and excess weight, conventionally assessed using body mass index (BMI), are well-established risk factors for many types of cancer. However, new research to be presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025, Malaga, Spain, 11-14 May) and published in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute shows that waist circumference (WC) is a stronger risk marker than BMI for developing obesity-related cancers in men, but not women.

24 Mar 2025

Lifelong weight patterns linked to kidney cancer risk

Excess weight in mid-life is a known risk factor for kidney cancer, but new research indicates that weight patterns throughout life may also affect an individual's likelihood of developing this malignancy.

24 Mar 2025

Childhood obesity boosts risk of COPD later in life

New research to be presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025, Malaga, Spain, 11-14 May) shows that having an overweight or obesity trajectory during childhood is associated with an increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adulthood.

22 Mar 2025

Young men with late puberty have healthier fat-to-muscle ratios

Later puberty in young men is linked to lower bone volume and lean mass, but a healthier body composition. Earlier puberty leads to higher bone density and slightly higher BMI and fat mass.

20 Mar 2025

Eating more fruits and vegetables may help prevent falls in older adults, especially women

Inadequate fruit and vegetable intake significantly increases the risk of injurious falls in older adults, particularly in women, with cognition, affect, and sleep/energy as partial mediators.

19 Mar 2025

Strawberries enhance brain speed and heart health, but cognitive benefits remain unclear

Strawberries may modestly enhance processing speed and lower systolic blood pressure in older adults, but they do not significantly improve overall cognitive function or vascular health.

19 Mar 2025

BMI may no longer be enough for assessing obesity in older adults

Body mass index (BMI) is key method for measuring a person's weight status, and defining if they have normal weight, overweight, or obesity.

19 Mar 2025

Vegan diets aid weight loss, but cutting animal-based processed foods matters most

A vegan diet rich in low-fat plant-based foods can lead to significant weight loss, regardless of food processing levels, whereas reducing processed animal foods is strongly linked to lower body weight.

18 Mar 2025

Higher BMI in adolescence worsens genetic risk for high blood pressure, study finds

Adolescent BMI amplifies genetic risk for high blood pressure, with sex-specific differences in how BMI modifies SBP susceptibility in adulthood.

17 Mar 2025

Better heart health slows brain aging and lowers dementia risk, study finds

A JAMA Network Open study finds that better cardiovascular health (CVH) in older adults is linked to lower levels of neurodegenerative biomarkers, particularly neurofilament light chain (NfL). These benefits are consistent across races and especially impactful for individuals carrying Alzheimer's-related genetic risks.

16 Mar 2025

Study shows how autism-linked picky eating causes serious vitamin deficiencies

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face a high risk of multiple micronutrient deficiencies, especially vitamins A, D, B12, and calcium, due to extreme food selectivity. These deficiencies can lead to severe health issues like rickets, vision loss, and immune dysfunction, even in children with normal body weight.

13 Mar 2025

Waist-to-height ratio more accurate than BMI for detecting childhood obesity

Body mass index (BMI) was almost three times more likely to classify children as overweight than waist circumference-to-height ratio, according to a new study.

12 Mar 2025

Routine asthma test more reliable in the morning and has seasonal effects, say doctors

A lung function test used to help diagnose asthma works better in the morning, becoming less reliable throughout the day, Cambridge researchers have found.

12 Mar 2025

Time of day and season affect asthma test results

A lung function test used to help diagnose asthma works better in the morning, becoming less reliable throughout the day, Cambridge researchers have found.

11 Mar 2025

Tirzepatide helps people without diabetes lose 13% body weight in real-world study

A real-world study of over 4,000 US patients without type 2 diabetes found that those who persisted with Tirzepatide for at least six months lost an average of 12.9% of their body weight. The study highlights Tirzepatide’s potential as an effective off-label obesity treatment before its formal FDA approval for weight loss.

11 Mar 2025

Switching from butter to plant-based oils linked to lower mortality risk

Researchers compare how the consumption of butter or plant-based oil impacts total and cause-specific mortality.

11 Mar 2025

GLP-1 drugs may cut risk of leukemia and lymphoma in type 2 diabetes patients

Researchers found that GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) significantly reduce the risk of several blood cancers in type 2 diabetes patients, especially compared to insulin. The study also highlights GLP-1RAs’ potential as a cancer-protective treatment, independent of glucose control.

9 Mar 2025

Long-term NSAID use may lower dementia risk

Long-term NSAID use reduces dementia risk, particularly in those without the APOE-ε4 gene, highlighting the importance of sustained anti-inflammatory treatment over dosage levels.

9 Mar 2025