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.

Supervised training boosts muscle mass and balance in advanced breast cancer patients

Aerobic and resistance exercise can significantly improve physical performance in patients living with metastatic breast cancer according to new results presented at the Advanced Breast Cancer Eighth International Consensus Conference (ABC8) today (Friday).

6 Nov 2025

Exploring the link between underweight status and gut microbiota composition in Japanese women

Low body weight in young women has been linked to a range of health concerns, including disrupted menstrual cycles, infertility, weakened immune function, and a long-term decline in bone density.

31 Oct 2025

Obesity’s health risks shift with age and sex, new genetic study reveals

Using a new time-resolved Mendelian randomization approach in over 360,000 UK Biobank participants, Karlsson et al. revealed that the causal impact of obesity changes across life, with distinct age- and sex-specific risk patterns for diabetes, heart disease, atrial fibrillation, and osteoarthritis.

27 Oct 2025

Semaglutide protects the heart beyond weight loss, SELECT trial shows

Semaglutide lowered the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events across all body weight and waist circumference levels in people with overweight or obesity and cardiovascular disease. Early waist reduction explained only a third of this benefit, showing that semaglutide’s heart protection extends beyond fat loss.

26 Oct 2025

Study finds small but significant sprint gains from dark chocolate milk intake

A new study found that consuming dark chocolate milk before exercise modestly enhanced anaerobic sprint performance in healthy young adults. The gains, seen in total effort time and power output, were small but potentially meaningful for competitive athletes.

23 Oct 2025

Semaglutide can offer important heart benefits that go beyond weight loss

A new analysis of the SELECT trial – the largest and longest clinical trial to date examining the cardiovascular benefits of semaglutide (a medication used to support weight loss and diabetes management) – confirms it also lowers the risk of major heart problems in people who are overweight or obese and already have heart disease, even if they don't have diabetes.

23 Oct 2025

Mediterranean diet linked to dramatically lower odds of endometriosis

A new case–control study found that women with stronger adherence to the Mediterranean diet had dramatically lower odds of endometriosis. Diets rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, and legumes were protective, while higher intakes of meat, dairy, and refined whole grains were linked to increased risk.

22 Oct 2025

Strong grip strength lowers risk of organ dysfunction in obesity

People with obesity who also have high muscle mass may be less likely to have obesity-related organ damage.

21 Oct 2025

Blood biomarkers forecast long-term blood pressure improvement after adolescent bariatric surgery

A groundbreaking study published in Hypertension, the journal of the American Heart Association, has identified a set of blood-based biomarkers that can predict improvements in blood pressure five years after adolescents underwent metabolic bariatric surgery.

20 Oct 2025

Simple hand grip test may reveal your future obesity risk

Increased grip strength correlates with lower obesity-related disease risk, suggesting muscle power as a key factor in preclinical obesity management.

20 Oct 2025

Study: Hidden fat inside the abdomen and liver may damage arteries

A new study led by researchers at McMaster University reveals that hidden fat deep inside the abdomen and liver may quietly damage arteries, even in people who appear healthy.

17 Oct 2025

Mass General Brigham study shows US obesity could jump from 40% to 70%

The prevalence of obesity in the United States could rise sharply under a new definition of obesity released earlier this year by the Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology Commission.

16 Oct 2025

What happens when microplastics reach the testes? Study shows autophagy and cell loss

Researchers found that microplastics from everyday plastic tableware accumulate in human semen and, although not linked to semen quality in the full cohort, were associated with altered sperm parameters in specific subgroups. Experimental models confirmed that 50 nm polystyrene particles trigger autophagy and apoptosis via the FOXA1/MAP3K1/p38 pathway, impairing sperm structure and function.

15 Oct 2025

Building muscle shown to protect against obesity-related organ damage

People with excess body fat who build and keep muscle may be less likely to develop obesity-induced heart, liver, or kidney damage or die early, according to a new study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

15 Oct 2025

Global health study warns of rising youth deaths amid declining overall mortality

Global mortality rates are falling but not among youths and young adults, according to the latest Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study published in The Lancet today and presented at the World Health Summit in Berlin.

13 Oct 2025

Home blood tests could spot early heart risks in young adults

Self-administered dried blood spot kits show potential for cardiometabolic screening in young adults, but success relied heavily on clear guidance and researcher support. High rates of at-risk biomarkers highlight an urgent need for early prevention in this population.

12 Oct 2025