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Smoking cessation may reduce dementia risk for people who avoid major weight gain

Quitting smoking may be associated with a lowered risk of dementia, especially for people who avoid major weight gain after quitting, according to a study published May 20, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

20 May 2026

Methylene blue enhances hair follicle stem cell regeneration under stress

A new research paper was published in Volume 18 of Aging-US on May 5, 2026, titled "Methylene blue protects hair follicle stem cells from oxidative and metabolic stress to enhance hair regeneration."

19 May 2026

Pennington and Vanderbilt launch major study on childhood obesity treatment

Pennington Biomedical Research Center, in collaboration with Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has launched a research study, the COACH trial, to test different ways to help children and their families improve their health through lifestyle changes delivered by primary care clinics in communities in Louisiana and Tennessee.

19 May 2026

Adult weight gain strongly linked to higher obesity-related cancer risk

New research presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2026) in Istanbul, Turkey (12-15 May) shows that people who gain the highest amount of weight across adulthood are at greatly increased risk of certain obesity related cancers.

13 May 2026

Study links obesity with fewer pleasant emotions during physical activity

A recent study conducted at the University of Jyväskylä investigated the emotions evoked by physical activity and what motivates people across different weight groups to exercise.

13 May 2026

Adding GLP-1 drugs to behavioral interventions silences food noise

New research presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, Turkey, shows that use of obesity drugs alongside behavioral interventions leads to a larger drop in so called 'food noise' than in those using the behavioral therapy alone.

13 May 2026

Perimenopausal women face higher risk of low heart health

Perimenopausal women were two times more likely to have a low cardiovascular health score compared to women having regular menstrual cycles, according to an analysis of nationwide U.S. data published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

13 May 2026

Daily orforglipron treatment reduces weight and blood sugar in seniors

A new analysis to be presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2026, Istanbul, Turkey, 12-15 May) examined daily oral orforglipron treatment for the treatment of obesity, with or without diabetes, in users aged 65 years and over, with results and a safety profile similar to that seen in the ATTAIN clinical trial programme population.

11 May 2026

Walking 8,500 steps daily may help prevent weight regain

New research being presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2026) in Istanbul, Turkey (12-15 May) and published in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health shows that doing around 8,500 steps a day can help people keep weight off after dieting.

10 May 2026

Time-restricted eating helps with adherence in diabetes patients

Time-restricted eating shows promise for type 2 diabetes management, with family support and simple rules aiding adherence and metabolic health improvements.

8 May 2026

Exercise remains essential alongside GLP-1 obesity treatments

As GLP-1 receptor agonists reshape obesity treatment, a new medical perspective published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, or JAMA, underscores a persistent gap in care: integrating exercise into weight management in ways patients can sustain.

5 May 2026

Virginia Tech researcher wins NIH award to study metabolic brain health

Mary Elizabeth Baugh, a research scientist with Virginia Tech's Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, has been awarded a National Institutes of Health Mentored Research Scientist Development Award to study how metabolic health influences the brain systems that shape what and how we eat.

4 May 2026

Semaglutide as a promising new treatment for alcohol use disorder

Research indicates semaglutide can significantly decrease alcohol consumption and cravings in individuals with comorbid obesity and alcohol use disorder.

4 May 2026

New research shows weight loss is possible without GLP-1

Glucagon-like peptide-1 agonism - GLP-1, common in obesity medicines - is not essential to weight management, according to preclinical research led by Richard DiMarchi and Matthias Tschöp, with funding from their startup company Bluewater Biosciences.

30 Apr 2026

Twice-yearly blood pressure treatment could reshape hypertension care, but doctors warn against a “fire-and-forget” approach

Long-acting RNA interference therapy for hypertension could shift blood pressure control from daily pill-taking to scheduled, system-led protection. But the authors warn that this “vaccine-like” model must preserve lifestyle support, monitoring, and follow-up to avoid clinical disengagement.

27 Apr 2026

Obesity leaves lasting molecular tags on the immune system

People who live with obesity are 'tagging' a memory of being overweight on a key part of the immune system - leaving people with ongoing risk of obesity-related conditions years after losing weight, according to a 10 year-long study published in EMBO Reports.

27 Apr 2026

Tirzepatide vs. semaglutide: Study compares cost and health outcomes in obesity

In a US societal-perspective lifetime simulation based on SURMOUNT-5 data, tirzepatide was projected to deliver lower total costs and better health outcomes than semaglutide for adults with obesity or overweight without type 2 diabetes.

22 Apr 2026

Heatwaves above 38 °C significantly spike cardiovascular cases in middle-aged populations

A novel study has revealed a link between extreme weather and the risk of cardiovascular disease among middle-aged and older adults in 157 Chinese cities. Based on a city's climate and location, exposure to extreme heat, cold, and precipitation each increases the risk of heart disease. The findings of the study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier, provide evidence for policymakers across different regions to develop targeted strategies protecting vulnerable populations during extreme climate events.

21 Apr 2026

Study finds genetic basis for GLP-1 weight loss efficacy and side effects

23andMe Research Institute, a nonprofit medical research organization, announced the publication of a study that identifies genetic predictors for GLP-1 weight loss efficacy and side effects.

8 Apr 2026

Metformin boosts an exercise-linked metabolite and may help control weight in prostate cancer patients

Metformin raised the exercise-linked metabolite Lac-Phe in prostate cancer patients across disease stages and treatment settings, while Lac-Phe itself did not predict anticancer response. Patients in the BIMET-1 metformin arm also showed better weight management during anti-androgen therapy, highlighting a possible metabolic benefit relevant to prostate cancer care.

7 Apr 2026