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

Urban women have higher risk of chronic diseases than rural dwellers

African women who live in cities are seven per cent more likely to have chronic diseases than rural dwellers.

27 Nov 2020

Immunonutrition may improve COVID-19 patients' recovery

Researchers duo Emma Derbyshire and Joanne Delange from the Nutritional Insight, Surrey, United Kingdom, explore the role of immunonutrition – nutrition that boosts or influences the immune system for those over 65 years of age in COVID-19. Their study titled, “COVID-19: is there a role for immunonutrition, particularly in the over 65s?,” was released in the latest issue of the BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health.

26 Nov 2020

Body mass index and severe COVID-19

French researchers led by first author Abdallah Al-Salameh from the Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes Mellitus and Nutrition, Amiens University Hospital, Amiens, France, have published findings of their study titled, “The association between body mass index class and coronavirus disease 2019 outcomes,” in the latest issue of the International Journal of Obesity.

26 Nov 2020

HIV alters SARS-CoV-2 immune response without affecting COVID-19 symptoms or outcomes

In a preprint paper published on the medRxiv server, a team of researchers from various institutions in South Africa, the UK, and Europe discuss how they determined the impact of HIV on the COVID-19 immune response in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, which is an area with very high HIV prevalence.

26 Nov 2020

Creating an affordable food source to tackle malnutrition in Zimbabwe

Scientists at the University of Sheffield are helping to tackle malnutrition in Zimbabwe through the mass development of an insect-based porridge.

26 Nov 2020

Antihypertensive drugs may reduce COVID-19 mortality in at-risk patients

A new multicenter study that recently appeared on the medRxiv* preprint server in November 2020 has found a lower or equal risk of fatal COVID-19 in hypertensive patients, depending on the type of medication they are on.

26 Nov 2020

Researchers develop first plant-based gel to support organoid growth for biomedical applications

Monash University researchers have created the world's first bioactive plant-based nanocellulose hydrogel to support organoid growth and help significantly reduce the costs of studies into cancer and COVID-19.

25 Nov 2020

Genetic risk of pre-eclampsia linked to blood pressure and BMI, study reveals

An international study, coordinated by experts from the University of Nottingham, has revealed that the genetic risk of pre-eclampsia – a potentially dangerous condition in pregnancy – is related to blood pressure and body mass index.

25 Nov 2020

Researchers suggest new indicator for measuring health impacts of air pollution

Researchers from IRD, the CNRS and UGA took part in a European study of sources of fine particulate matter that are harmful to health, coordinated by the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI, Switzerland).

25 Nov 2020

Health risks of prolonged sitting are reduced by exceeding weekly activity goals

Research has shown that people who sit for long periods are at an increased risk of early death and several health issues.

25 Nov 2020

Regulation of fat production is abnormal in obesity, shows study

Gut hormones play an important role in regulating fat production in the body. One key hormone, released a few hours after eating, turns off fat production by regulating gene expression in the liver, but this regulation is abnormal in obesity, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found in a new study.

25 Nov 2020

Bariatric surgery linked to lower risk of hospital and intensive care unit admission

A Cleveland Clinic study shows that among patients who have obesity and who tested positive for COVID-19, a past history of bariatric surgery was significantly associated with a lower risk of hospital and intensive care unit admission.

24 Nov 2020

New findings support benefits of bariatric surgery in severely obese adolescents

Eighty to 90% of adolescents benefit from lasting weight loss following bariatric surgery, and most experience the remission of obesity-related complications such as elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and musculoskeletal pain, among others.

24 Nov 2020

Disproportionate COVID-19 mortality in England linked to non-white ethnicity and poverty

In a paper published on the preprint server medRxiv, researchers from various departments of Imperial College London, UK, discuss how they analyzed mortality data of individuals 40 years and above in local communities in England to determine local variations in increased mortality during the first wave of the pandemic – between 1 March and 31 May 2020 - and to identify the community factors associated with these mortality patterns.

24 Nov 2020

Hormone that suppresses food intake could be used as potential treatment for obesity

A hormone that can suppress food intake and increase the feeling of fullness in mice has shown similar results in humans and non-human primates, says a new study published today in eLife.

24 Nov 2020

More sedentary time increases risk of heart failure in older women

Even with regular physical activity, older women (ages 50-79) who spend more waking hours in sedentary behaviors, such as sitting or lying down, have an increased risk of heart failure serious enough to require hospitalization, according to new research published today in Circulation: Heart Failure, an American Heart Association journal.

24 Nov 2020

Study underscores the importance of maintaining services to prevent, treat cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality in Europe, and World Health Organization (WHO) heart disease goals will not be achieved by 2025 unless urgent action is taken. That is the finding of a European Society of Cardiology (ESC) report published today.

24 Nov 2020