Obesity

Overweight and obesity are defined by the WHO as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to an individuals health.

Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer and while it was once an issue only in high income countries, overweight and obesity has now dramatically risen in low- and middle-income countries.Such countries are now facing a "double burden" of disease, for while they continue to deal with the problems of infectious disease and under-nutrition, they are also experiencing a rapid upsurge in chronic disease risk factors such as obesity and overweight, particularly in urban settings.

What is Obesity?

Obesity and overweight have in the last decade become a global problem - according to the World Health Organization (WHO) back in 2005 approximately 1.6 billion adults over the of age 15+ were overweight, at least 400 million adults were obese and at least 20 million children under the age of 5 years were overweight.

Causes of Obesity and Overweight

Obesity, What Can be Done?

What is Body Mass Index (BMI)?

Obesity and Fast Food

Obesity and Exercise

Obesity Management

Obesity and Blood Pressure

Obesity and Diabetes

Obesity and Cancer

Obesity and Depression

Obesity and Autism

See more featured articles »

Obesity and Sleep

Obesity and Hormones

Obesity and Genetics

Obesity in Adults

Obesity in Pregnancy

Obesity and Infertility

Obesity and Sexual Health

Obesity and Stress

Obesity and Fractures

Obesity and Arthritis

Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity Epidemiology

What is Obesity Paradox?

Obesity and Periodontitis

Obesity in Children

Obesity and Respiratory Disorders

Obesity and Heart Disease

Obesity and Anesthesia

Obesity and Skin Problems

Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated Gene (FTO)

What does Sleeve Gastrectomy Involve?

Dieting for Obese Children

Abdominal Obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome

Why is Visceral Fat Dangerous?

Latest Obesity News and Research

Survey unveils India's rising tide of metabolic diseases

Study reveals high rates of non-communicable metabolic diseases across India, with notable differences in prevalence between urban and rural areas and among different Indian states.

23 Apr 2024

US study links extended sitting and lack of coffee to higher death rates

The independent and combined effects of daily sedentary times and coffee consumption on cardiovascular disease.

23 Apr 2024

Research explores how moms' obesity reprograms babies

Research increasingly suggests that when a woman with obesity becomes pregnant, a process of "fetal reprogramming" increases the risk that her baby will face problems like obesity, Type 2 diabetes and liver disease earlier in life.

23 Apr 2024

Higher zinc intake linked to lower asthma risk in overweight kids

A study in the World Allergy Organization Journal reveals that higher dietary zinc intake is linked to a lower risk of asthma in overweight or obese children and adolescents, indicating zinc's potential role in asthma prevention in this group.

23 Apr 2024

Study reveals avocado may lower diabetes risk in women, not men

A recent study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that avocado consumption is associated with a reduced risk of diabetes in Mexican women, but not in men, highlighting potential gender-specific dietary benefits.

23 Apr 2024

Waist circumference-to-height ratio strongly predicts fecal incontinence

Fecal incontinence (FI), or involuntary loss of bowel control, significantly impacts quality of life and mental health for millions of adults in the U.S.

22 Apr 2024

Study shows atrial fibrillation more dangerous in younger population

Atrial fibrillation (Afib), a common type of arrhythmia that is on the rise in people under the age of 65, is more dangerous in this increasingly younger population than previously thought, according to a new study published today in Circulation Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology and authored by physician-scientists at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute.

22 Apr 2024

Natural obesity fighters: How coffee, tea, and cocoa combat weight gain

A review in Current Research in Food Science explores how bioactive compounds in coffee, tea, and cocoa combat obesity by inhibiting white adipogenesis and promoting brown adipogenesis and lipolysis.

22 Apr 2024

Public health efforts urged to reduce sodium in packaged foods

The dual role of sodium in water balance regulation and food formulation, noting its significant association with mortality due to excessive intake.

22 Apr 2024

Korean fermented food Doenjang shows promise in alleviating menopausal symptoms

Study compares the effects of traditional versus commercial Korean Doenjang on menopausal symptoms, finding that traditional variants with high beneficial microorganisms are more effective in reducing these symptoms and improving cardiovascular and gut health.

21 Apr 2024

Rice University bioengineers receive $1.4M to combat osteoarthritis

Bioengineers at Rice University have been awarded $1.4 million as part of a multi-center consortium funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to develop strategies for reversing the effects of osteoarthritis.

18 Apr 2024

Metabolic health determines effectiveness of influenza vaccination

Metabolic health (normal blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels, among other factors) influences the effectiveness of influenza vaccinations. Vaccination is known to be less effective in people with obesity compared to those with a healthier body mass index (BMI), but St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have found it is not obesity itself, but instead metabolic dysfunction, which makes the difference.

18 Apr 2024

Study explores tocotrienols' neuroprotective effects in obesity-related cognitive decline

Obesity has become a pressing worldwide health issue, with rates steadily rising over recent decades.

18 Apr 2024

ApoA-IV surge after bariatric surgery enhances insulin secretion and energy expenditure

Bariatric surgery has emerged as an effective means of reducing weight in morbidly obese individuals, while also significantly improving diabetes. Currently, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) are two of the most commonly performed bariatric surgeries.

18 Apr 2024

The role of yogurt in diabetes and obesity prevention

The role of yogurt as a nutritious food in preventing and managing diabetes and obesity.

18 Apr 2024

Global disease burden study highlights COVID-19 impact and health inequities

Rates of early death and poor health caused by HIV/AIDS and diarrhea have been cut in half since 2010, and the rate of disease burden caused by injuries has dropped by a quarter in the same time period, after accounting for differences in age and population size across countries, based on a new study published in The Lancet. The study measures the burden of disease in years lost to early death and poor health.

17 Apr 2024

TAME trial findings offer new hope for children with malnutrition enteropathy

A comparison of treatments for malnutrition enteropathy, caused by severe acute malnutrition (SAM), has found evidence supporting the use of treatments to enhance the healing of mucosal membranes and reduce inflammation in the gut to improve the outcomes of children affected by long-term health consequences of a period of malnutrition.

17 Apr 2024

Universities collaborate on $15 million project investigating inflammation's role in cardiac and brain diseases

Research teams from Northwestern University Chicago Campus, University of Michigan and University of Pittsburgh will lead a $15 million project dedicated to studying inflammation's role in cardiac and brain diseases.

17 Apr 2024

1 in 5 older Canadian adults with diabetes developed functional limitations during the pandemic

Researchers found that approximately 1 in 5 older Canadian adults with diabetes and no pre-pandemic functional limitations developed functional limitations for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic.

17 Apr 2024

Vitamin D deficiency persists despite easy access, review suggests need for tailored supplements

Researchers in a study published in the journal Nutrients delve into the pervasive issue of vitamin D deficiency and its link to various health conditions, advocating for precision nutrition and personalized supplementation to enhance vitamin D intake and effectiveness.

17 Apr 2024