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.

Stopping GLP-1 drugs before pregnancy leads to more weight gain

Researchers determine the risk of pregnancy weight gain in patients who were prescribed GLP-1 RAs prior to conception.

1 Dec 2025

Beer bellies linked to worse heart structure changes especially in men

A large new study using advanced imaging found that abdominal obesity, sometimes referred to as a "beer belly," is associated with more harmful changes in heart structure than overall body weight alone, especially in men.

1 Dec 2025

Semaglutide helps older adults lose weight without immediate bone loss

Semaglutide shows potential for weight loss in older adults without harming bone density, but longer studies are essential to assess its effects on bone health.

1 Dec 2025

Overweight boys hit puberty earlier than peers

Childhood obesity accelerates puberty in boys, with heavier children showing earlier testicular enlargement and pubic hair development, study finds.

1 Dec 2025

Alternate-day fasting cuts body fat but also reduces muscle

Research reveals that alternate-day fasting reduces body weight and fat but also leads to muscle loss, with whey protein supplementation proving ineffective.

28 Nov 2025

Music therapy speeds anesthesia recovery in colorectal surgery

Integrating music therapy with anesthesia recovery care enhances recovery in colorectal cancer patients, reducing complications and stabilizing vital signs.

28 Nov 2025

Global data show why gut microbiomes in industrialized regions look increasingly alike

Researchers studying more than 1 000 adults across 12 countries found that industrialization is one of the strongest forces reshaping the human gut microbiome, reducing diversity and stability. Industrialized and urban populations also showed higher immune and gut stress markers, suggesting physiological consequences of these altered microbial communities.

25 Nov 2025

Daily walking patterns help flag early Parkinson’s signs in large UK study

Accelerometer data from nearly 95,000 adults show that higher daily step counts predict lower short-term Parkinson’s disease risk. But as follow-up extends, the association fades, indicating that reduced steps are more likely an early marker than a cause.

25 Nov 2025

Ultra-processed foods linked to rise in prediabetes risk

The study reveals that ultra-processed foods heighten prediabetes risk in young adults with obesity history, stressing the importance of healthy eating habits.

25 Nov 2025

Development of a polygenic risk score for pelvic organ prolapse in Chinese women

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP), a condition whose development is shaped by both genetic and clinical risk factors, significantly impairs women's quality of life, yet genetic insights into non-European populations and comprehensive risk models that integrate genetic and clinical data remain insufficiently explored.

24 Nov 2025

Gaining too little or too much weight in pregnancy affects birth outcomes

The review of 1.6 million pregnancies shows diverse weight gain impacts, stressing the urgency for updated guidelines to improve maternal and infant health.

24 Nov 2025

Higher teen blood pressure predicts who develops heart disease

A study reveals that adolescent blood pressure levels are strong predictors of coronary atherosclerosis, emphasizing the importance of monitoring in youth.

24 Nov 2025

Ultraprocessed diets affect teens and young adults differently

A study reveals that adolescents consume more calories on ultraprocessed diets, highlighting a critical vulnerability in modern food environments.

21 Nov 2025

Can black cumin help fight obesity?

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20 Nov 2025

BMI is failing to detect dangerous obesity as people age

A landmark study finds waist-to-height ratio more effective than BMI in identifying obesity risk, as central fat levels rise across the UK population.

19 Nov 2025

Chronic pain in adults linked to increased risk of developing high blood pressure

Chronic pain in adults may increase their risk of high blood pressure, and the location and extent of pain and if they also had depression were contributing factors, according to new research published today in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal.

17 Nov 2025

GLP-1 drugs linked to improved survival in colon cancer patients

A new University of California San Diego study offers compelling evidence that glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists - the class of drugs behind Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, for example - may do more than regulate blood sugar and weight.

11 Nov 2025

Study provides a new perspective for optimizing School Feeding Programs

School Feeding Programs (SFPs), as crucial public policies for improving children's nutrition and development globally, have covered 388 million children across 161 countries.

11 Nov 2025

Drinking orange juice daily may fine-tune genes tied to cardiovascular wellness

Regular orange juice consumption reprograms immune-cell gene activity linked to blood pressure, lipid metabolism, and inflammation in healthy adults. The molecular effects differ by body weight, suggesting BMI-tailored benefits from this everyday beverage.

9 Nov 2025

How diet affects aging metabolism differently for men and women

Research reveals sex-based differences in diet's impact on metabolism, highlighting plant proteins for men and moderate wine for women in older adults.

7 Nov 2025