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.

Why is Visceral Fat Dangerous?

Obesity and Respiratory Disorders

Obesity and Anesthesia

Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated Gene (FTO)

Obesity and Sexual Health

Obesity and Exercise

Obesity in Pregnancy

Obesity in Children

Obesity and Fractures

Abdominal Obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity and Autism

See more featured articles »

Obesity and Sleep

Obesity and Blood Pressure

Obesity and Hormones

Obesity and Infertility

Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity and Periodontitis

Obesity and Arthritis

Obesity and Depression

Obesity and Stress

Obesity and Genetics

Obesity Epidemiology

Obesity and Skin Problems

What is Obesity Paradox?

Causes of Obesity and Overweight

Obesity, What Can be Done?

Obesity in Adults

Obesity and Heart Disease

Obesity and Cancer

Obesity and Fast Food

Obesity Management

What is Body Mass Index (BMI)?

Dieting for Obese Children

What does Sleeve Gastrectomy Involve?

Obesity and Diabetes

Latest Obesity News and Research

Gut microbiome changes can signal future type 2 diabetes risk

The presence of certain bacteria in the gut microbiota, and fluctuations in a person's metabolism, can be seen in people who go on to develop type 2 diabetes years later.

7 Jul 2026

U.S. obesity rates rose sharply between 1999 and 2023

Obesity rates among U.S. adults and children rose sharply in recent years and by 2023, 40% of adults and 20% of youth met the criteria for obesity, according to new, independent research published today in the American Heart Association's flagship journal Circulation.

7 Jul 2026

Breaking up long periods of sitting is linked to lower cancer risk

The study highlights that how sedentary time is accumulated affects cancer risk, with prolonged sitting linked to higher risk and activity offering protection.

7 Jul 2026

Blood markers reveal metabolic impact of ultra-processed food consumption

Consumption of ultra-processed food (UPF) results in a distinct metabolic 'signature' in the blood, associated with potentially adverse health conditions, a new study by an international team of researchers finds.

6 Jul 2026

Six weeks of shorter sleep increases weight and sedentary time

People who shortened their sleep by around 80 minutes a night for six weeks gained weight-one pound on average-and were more sedentary, researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons have found.

6 Jul 2026

AI uncovers hidden molecular signals linked to thrombosis risk

Two people may be the same age and have similar family histories or risk factors, yet only one of them may develop thrombosis.

6 Jul 2026

Meat and dairy cuts may improve health without raising food costs

A Scottish microsimulation study found that reducing meat and dairy intake, especially red meat among high consumers, could improve modeled health and environmental outcomes without increasing diet costs. However, some nutrient intakes, particularly calcium and iodine, declined, highlighting the need for carefully planned substitutions and fortified alternatives.

6 Jul 2026

Study tracks why rural residents face higher chronic disease risks

Following the release of data from Assumption Parish earlier this year, researchers at LSU's Pennington Biomedical Research Center have published the first set of data from the Risks Underlying Rural Areas Longitudinal, or RURAL, Heart and Lung study in Franklin Parish. The data book for Franklin Parish is now available to explore.

6 Jul 2026

New study highlights noninvasive biomarkers for colorectal cancer detection

Emerging discoveries in liquid biomarker research promise to transform early detection, diagnosis, and treatment monitoring of colorectal cancer (CRC), according to a new study, offering less invasive alternatives to traditional methods that often require surgical interventions or tissue biopsies.

6 Jul 2026

Thirty years of data reveal changing heart health trends in obesity

A study reveals narrowing gaps in blood pressure and cholesterol between obesity and normal BMI, highlighting evolving cardiometabolic risks over three decades.

6 Jul 2026

Insilico Medicine highlights AI drug discovery progress at executive summit

Dr. Alex Aliper, Co-founder and President of Insilico Medicine, will attend the AI for Good Global Summit 2026 in Geneva, Switzerland, on July 7.

3 Jul 2026

Study reveals double burden of malnutrition among low-income urban children in India

Children growing up in a low-income urban community in Vellore are now facing two seemingly opposite forms of malnutrition simultaneously: persistent thinness and rising obesity by the time they reach primary school age.

2 Jul 2026

Insilico Medicine partners with Takeda for AI-driven drug discovery

Insilico Medicine, a leader in clinical-stage generative AI for drug discovery, today announced a strategic collaboration agreement with Takeda to use its proprietary end-to-end platform, Pharma.AI, to advance drug candidates across the company's therapeutic areas.

2 Jul 2026

Eight-hour eating window sustains long-term weight loss

The study, in which the University of Granada (UGR) participated and which was recently published in the journal Clinical Nutrition, involved 99 adults—half of whom were women—who were overweight or obese.

2 Jul 2026

Community-based programs show greater promise for dementia prevention efforts

Nearly half of dementia cases could be prevented by tackling modifiable risk factors such as physical inactivity, smoking, low education or social isolation, but new Curtin University research suggests current public health approaches are falling short of driving real behaviour change.

2 Jul 2026

Blood pressure and cholesterol gaps shrink among older adults with obesity

Over the last three decades, differences in unhealthy cholesterol levels and blood pressure between older adults with obesity and those with a normal Body Mass Index (BMI) have narrowed or disappeared in several high-income countries, suggests a study published in The Lancet.

1 Jul 2026

Fatty liver disease fuels aggressive metastatic colorectal cancer spread

Researchers at VIB and KU Leuven, with international partners, have uncovered how fatty liver disease can fuel the most aggressive form of metastatic colorectal cancer.

1 Jul 2026

GLP-1 medications may improve long-term health for people with peripheral artery disease

GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) medications were shown to reduce the number of deaths, amputations and hospitalizations among people with Type 2 diabetes who also had narrowed leg arteries associated with PAD (peripheral artery disease), according to new, independent research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

1 Jul 2026

Obesity may account for up to one in four polypharmacy cases

The study reveals obesity's role in polypharmacy, indicating that reducing obesity may lower medication burden and enhance quality of life for older adults.

1 Jul 2026

Genetics play a bigger role than pregnancy in childhood obesity risk

Genetic factors primarily explain the link between parental and childhood BMI, with maternal obesity impacting birth weight more than later childhood obesity.

1 Jul 2026