Cardiometabolic News and Research

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Lower grip strength in early pregnancy linked to risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are a leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide. In addition, HDP can lead to fetal growth restriction, preterm birth, and various long-term adverse health outcomes.

24 Apr 2026

Study identifies new genetic pathways driving cardiometabolic disease risk

A study published today in PLOS Medicine has identified two new genetic pathways that contribute to cardiometabolic disease, which includes heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

23 Apr 2026

Specific intestinal fungi play role in the pathogenesis of MASLD and cardiovascular disease

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). While gut bacteria have been linked to CVD, the role of intestinal fungi in subclinical coronary atherosclerosis (SCA) remains unclear.

23 Apr 2026

Tirzepatide significantly reduces cardiovascular risk in high-risk patients

Two new studies show that tirzepatide, a glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist (RA), significantly reduces cardiovascular risk in high-risk patients, including those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and those with obesity undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

23 Apr 2026

Exercise may be safer for children with heart conditions

Physical activity in children and teenagers with cardiomyopathy (conditions that affect the heart muscle's structure and function, impairing its ability to pump or fill effectively), as well as children with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) may be safer than previous research suggested, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association, published today in the Association's flagship peer-reviewed journal Circulation.

23 Apr 2026

Yoga may improve cardiometabolic health in overweight adults

Practicing yoga could help people with overweight or obesity improve their cardiometabolic health, according to a study published April 22 in the open-access journal PLOS Global Public Health by Widya Wasityastuti from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and colleagues.

22 Apr 2026

Low-plastic diets cut plastic-linked chemicals in urine within 7 days, study finds

A Nature Medicine study found that healthy Australian adults were widely exposed to plastic-associated chemicals, with processed, packaged, and canned foods emerging as important modifiable contributors to urinary phthalate and bisphenol levels. In a 7-day pilot randomized trial, low-plastic food interventions reduced several urinary plastic-associated chemicals without lowering daily energy intake.

22 Apr 2026

Fermentation boosts anti-inflammatory power in dairy alternatives

Investigating fermented oat and soy drinks, this study highlights their potential to enhance anti-inflammatory bioactivity through lipid transformation.

20 Apr 2026

Why heart risk is hard to predict in type 1 diabetes

A European study reveals cardiovascular risk patterns in type 1 diabetes, highlighting the need for tailored prevention strategies to catch complications early.

20 Apr 2026

Obesity, GLP-1s, and metabolic care

An interview with Professor Thomas Forst, Chief Medical Officer, hVIVO

From hVIVO 17 Apr 2026

Ultra-processed diets may harm muscle health

Ultra-processed food diets may impair muscle health, with MRI findings showing increased fat infiltration in individuals at risk for knee osteoarthritis.

17 Apr 2026

BMI increases in early childhood may reflect muscle growth, not fat

A new study published in The Journal of Nutrition, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Society for Nutrition, offers new insights into a decades-old puzzle in childhood obesity. The study found that while body mass index (BMI) starts to rise in early childhood during a stage known as adiposity rebound, when BMI increases after an initial decline, the waist-to-height ratio, a measure that better reflects body fat, continues to drop. This suggests that the BMI increase at this age mainly reflects growth in lean tissues such as muscle and bone, rather than extra body fat.

16 Apr 2026

Study links ultra-processed food intake to poorer thigh muscle quality

A Radiology study of 615 adults at risk for knee osteoarthritis found that higher ultra-processed food intake was associated with greater fat infiltration in thigh muscles on MRI, a marker of poorer muscle quality. The association remained after adjustment for BMI, was stronger in models using abdominal circumference, and did not differ significantly by sex.

15 Apr 2026

Matching exercise timing to body clock chronotype improves heart health

Timing exercise to match body clock chronotype-the natural predisposition to morning or evening alertness-may lower cardiovascular disease risk among those who are already vulnerable, suggests research published in the open access journal Open Heart.

15 Apr 2026

Metabolic syndrome doubles worldwide over two decades

A global study reveals a sharp rise in metabolic syndrome prevalence from 2000 to 2023, highlighting urgent public health challenges and regional disparities.

15 Apr 2026

Waist-to-height ratio outperforms BMI in predicting hypertension risk

New waist-to-height cut-offs to assess fat mass and obesity predicted the risk of hypertension better than body mass index, according to a new study from the University of Eastern Finland and the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Rutgers University in the US.

14 Apr 2026

Obesity health risks differ significantly between men and women

New research being presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Istanbul, Turkey (12-15 May), reveals distinct patterns of heart, metabolic, and inflammatory health risks between men and women living with obesity, providing an insight into how clinicians may be able to tailor management approaches.

13 Apr 2026

Insilico Medicine nominates AI-driven drug candidate for cancer, Cushing's syndrome and obesity

The NR3C1 (nuclear receptor subfamily 3 group C member 1) gene encodes the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), a nuclear receptor vital for maintaining physiological homeostasis, and inhibition of NR3C1 could increase the sensitivity of cancer cells to standard chemotherapy, particularly in ovarian cancer.

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

New obesity definition could delay treatment and widen health gaps

The Lancet obesity framework aims to improve risk assessment but risks delaying treatment and deepening health inequities, according to recent evaluations.

7 Apr 2026