Body Shape News and Research

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What happens to body fat when people follow the Eatwell Guide?

Higher adherence to the UK Eatwell Guide was associated with lower BMI, waist circumference, total body fat, and trunk fat in more than 156,000 UK Biobank participants. The associations persisted prospectively across demographic, physical activity, and genetic-risk groups, supporting the role of diet quality in weight management.

16 Aug 2026

Inherited Neandertal gene variant increases muscle mass in modern humans

Neandertals were generally more strongly built than most people living today. Their bones show signs of large muscles, and they had characteristic features such as prominent brow ridges and relatively short tooth roots.

5 Aug 2026

New body mass index could overcome limitations of BMI

The Consistent Body Mass Index (CBMI) offers a promising alternative to traditional BMI, aligning with waist-to-height ratio for better body size assessment.

16 Jul 2026

Study finds two effective therapies for common childhood eating disorder

The first randomized, controlled trial for a common childhood eating disorder has shown how therapists and parents can help those struggling with the condition, known as avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, or ARFID.

29 Jun 2026

New BioCoach AI provides real-time biomechanical feedback for exercises

As any athlete will tell you: perfect practice makes perfect. But for individuals who do not have regular access to coaches or trainers, maintaining good form can be tricky.

4 Jun 2026

Study finds unisex armor can trap more blast energy on female torsos

Researchers used free-field C4 blasts and anatomically representative male and female manikins to test how unisex SAPI body armor changes shock exposure under different blast angles. They found that while armor lowered peak pressure in both, the female torso shape created larger air gaps that trapped energy longer and increased impulse exposure, especially around the underbust region.

6 Apr 2026

Teenage aggression linked to faster biological aging and health risks later in life

Teens who frequently lash out at others may face lasting physical health consequences later in life, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

5 Mar 2026

The long and short of it: Human penis size evolved for both attraction and rivalry, study suggests

This experimental study used life-sized and screen-based 3D male avatars to test how penis size, height, and body shape influence female mate choice and male assessments of rivals. The findings show non-linear female preferences for size and demonstrate that penis size functions as a modest but significant cue in male perceptions of fighting ability, alongside stronger traits such as height and torso shape.

25 Jan 2026

Teenagers with body image issues may develop eating disorders and depression later

Teenagers who are unhappy with their bodies are more likely to develop symptoms of eating disorders and depression in early adulthood, according to a new study led by UCL researchers.

11 Dec 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

New study explores how childhood social determinants impact young adult cardiovascular health

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death and disability for adults in the U.S. Recent projections from the American Heart Association suggest that by 2050, more than 45 million American adults will have clinical CVD and more than 184 million will have hypertension.

4 Sep 2025

Killifish study reveals multi-generational impacts of exposure to crude oil and flame retardants

A tiny fish with transparent embryos is helping University of California, Davis, researchers shed light on how exposure to crude oil and flame retardants can affect behavior, skeletal growth, cardiac health and other internal functions in offspring and subsequent generations.

28 Aug 2025

Waist-to-hip and waist-to-height ratios predict physical performance in adults

A new research paper was published in Aging (Aging-US) Volume 17, Issue 6, on May 30, 2025, titled "Impact of waist-to-hip and waist-to-height ratios on physical performance: insights from the Longevity Check-up 8+ project."

8 Jul 2025

How satisfaction with your partner's looks directly boosts relationship quality

A dyadic study of 167 heterosexual couples in Quebec found that satisfaction with a partner’s appearance and the absence of body criticism were linked to better relationship quality. These dynamics were shaped by both perceived similarity and accurate perceptions of partner satisfaction.

7 May 2025

Research shows exercise and healthy eating reduce inflammation in postmenopausal women

Researchers at the University of Jyväskylä's Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences have found that women who exhibit disturbed eating behaviors and engage in low physical activity tend to have more central body fat and a higher risk of metabolic low-grade inflammation.

5 Mar 2025

New method revolutionizes body composition analysis using 3D imaging and deep learning

A recent study introduces an innovative method for analyzing body composition using advanced 3D imaging and deep learning techniques.

4 Feb 2025

New study challenges the traditional view of gene switches

Some sequences in the genome cause genes to be switched on or off. Until now, each of these gene switches, or so-called enhancers, was thought to have its own place on the DNA.

22 Nov 2024

New 3D body scan method beats traditional imaging for tracking body fat

Researchers developed a new method using 3D body shapes to predict body composition, offering a more accessible alternative to traditional medical imaging. This approach can accurately track fat mass changes over time.

25 Oct 2024

High body roundness index linked to increased cardiovascular disease risk

Having a high body roundness index (BRI) over a 6-year period was associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease for adults older than age 45, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

25 Sep 2024

Women remain underserved in cardiovascular disease treatment despite advances

Women in the UK, and elsewhere, are still missing out on vital treatment for their No 1 killer - cardiovascular disease - despite significant progress in the medical management of heart disease and stroke, concludes a consensus statement published online in the journal Heart.

24 Sep 2024