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Muscle fat levels on MRI linked to cardiometabolic risk

Using a deep learning model to analyze the composition of large muscles on MRI, German researchers found that the proportions of intermuscular fat and lean muscle mass were associated with high blood pressure and unhealthy lipid and blood sugar levels.

5 May 2026

New coating prevents protein adhesion to reduce hospital infections

A non-toxic coating developed by researchers at University of Toronto Engineering prevents proteins from sticking to surfaces - potentially offering a new tool in the fight against hospital-acquired infections.

5 May 2026

Both low and high heart rates linked to stroke risk

A new study presented today at the European Stroke Organisation Conference (ESOC) 2026 suggests that both very low and very high resting heart rates are linked with an increased risk of stroke.

5 May 2026

Stroke incidence rises again with widening ethnic health inequalities

A new study presented today at the European Stroke Organisation Conference (ESOC) 2026 shows that after decades of decline, stroke incidence is rising again, driven by higher rates in some ethnic minority populations and concentrated among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups.

5 May 2026

New high-fidelity simulator models blood flow and CPR in space

The new focus on manned missions to the moon and Mars presents countless pressing challenges, including keeping humans alive in hostile environments.

5 May 2026

Phase 2 human clinical trial paves way for effective hookworm vaccine

A phase 2 human clinical trial of an antigen for a parasitic infection caused by hookworms has been shown to be effective in limiting the intensity of infection, paving the way for the development of a vaccine.

5 May 2026

AI creates detailed map of fat and muscle distribution to predict major health risks

Researchers used AI to analyze whole-body MRI scans from more than 66,000 participants to create the most detailed reference map to date of how fat and muscle are distributed in the human body across age, sex and height.

5 May 2026

U.S. bariatric surgery rates drop significantly amid GLP-1 surge

The number of metabolic and bariatric surgery procedures in the United States dropped below 200,000 in 2024 for the first time since 2020, a more than 20% decline from the prior year, according to new research presented today at the annual scientific meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

5 May 2026

Bariatric surgery improves outcomes for patients with obesity and chronic kidney disease

Metabolic and bariatric surgery, also known as weight-loss surgery, dramatically improves outcomes for patients with obesity and chronic kidney disease (CKD), significantly reducing the risk of kidney failure, major cardiovascular events and death, according to new research presented here today at the annual meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

5 May 2026

GLP-1 use surges as surgery rates drop for severe obesity

Drawing on electronic health records from nearly 20 million patients with severe obesity, researchers from University of California San Diego find that GLP-1 prescriptions have grown exponentially -- from less than 4,600 prescriptions in 2018 to more than 1.4 million in 2025 -- according to a new real-world analysis presented today at the annual scientific meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

5 May 2026

Bariatric surgery costs significantly less than GLP-1 drugs over two years

A new real-world analysis of more than 90,000 patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes finds metabolic and bariatric surgery is costs significantly less than weekly injections of GLP-1 drugs over a two-year period, according to a new research presented today at the annual scientific meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

5 May 2026

Study reveals epigenetic adaptation of beta cells across lifespan and disease

As people age, most maintain normal blood sugar even as insulin resistance tends to rise. New research suggests that pancreatic beta cells help meet this demand through gradual epigenetic changes in regulatory regions of the genome that support beta-cell identity and function.

5 May 2026

GLP-1 drugs combined with surgery yield superior weight loss results

People who begin obesity treatment with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s) and then undergo metabolic and bariatric surgery achieve substantially greater weight loss than with the medications alone, according to new research presented today at the annual meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

5 May 2026

AI-driven model predicts type 1 diabetes risk with greater accuracy

Researchers use machine learning and genetic analysis to uncover type 1 diabetes risk factors, improving prediction accuracy and identifying patient subtypes.

5 May 2026

A new tool that predicts obesity-related disease risk beyond BMI

OBSCORE is a data-driven tool that identifies high-risk individuals for obesity-related diseases, enhancing treatment targeting beyond traditional BMI metrics.

5 May 2026

Blood tests years before pregnancy predict risk of hypertension

Pre-pregnancy blood biomarkers linked to hypertension risk highlight the potential for early intervention in managing hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

5 May 2026

Study links microplastics in arterial plaque to fourfold increase in stroke risk

In a Perspective published today in the inaugural issue of Brain Health (https://doi.org/10.61373/bh026p.0006), an international team of investigators argues that the human microplastic burden has crossed the threshold from environmental concern to brain health emergency. The article appears alongside the launch of Brain Health, a new peer-reviewed journal from Genomic Press dedicated to the science of lifelong brain resilience.

5 May 2026