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.

Obesity and Fast Food

Obesity and Depression

Obesity and Periodontitis

Why is Visceral Fat Dangerous?

What is Body Mass Index (BMI)?

Obesity and Genetics

Obesity and Cancer

Abdominal Obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity and Exercise

Obesity and Infertility

Obesity and Sleep

See more featured articles »

Obesity and Anesthesia

Obesity and Hormones

Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated Gene (FTO)

Obesity and Fractures

Obesity and Autism

Obesity and Arthritis

Obesity Epidemiology

Obesity and Sexual Health

Causes of Obesity and Overweight

Obesity and Respiratory Disorders

What does Sleeve Gastrectomy Involve?

Obesity, What Can be Done?

Obesity in Adults

Obesity and Heart Disease

Obesity in Children

Obesity and Blood Pressure

Obesity in Pregnancy

Dieting for Obese Children

What is Obesity Paradox?

Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity and Skin Problems

Obesity and Stress

Obesity Management

Obesity and Diabetes

Latest Obesity News and Research

Combined healthy eating and exercise linked to greater reductions in visceral fat

Improving diet and increasing physical activity levels together may be more effective at preventing weight gain – particularly harmful fat inside the abdomen – than just changing one of these behaviours, new research from the University of Cambridge suggests.

21 Nov 2025

Ultraprocessed diets affect teens and young adults differently

A study reveals that adolescents consume more calories on ultraprocessed diets, highlighting a critical vulnerability in modern food environments.

21 Nov 2025

Oral GLP-1 pill shows strong weight loss and blood sugar benefits in adults with diabetes

A new oral GLP-1 medication can help adults with obesity and Type 2 diabetes lose more weight and improve their blood sugar levels compared to a placebo, according to findings from the ATTAIN-2 trial led by a UTHealth Houston researcher.

20 Nov 2025

Nationwide study maps epilepsy incidence rates among older adults in the United States

A first-of-its-kind nationwide study has mapped epilepsy incidence rates among older adults in the United States and identified key social and environmental factors associated with the neurological condition.

20 Nov 2025

Study compares GLP-1 drug benefits and finds substantial variation in clinical effects

GLP-1 receptor agonists improve glycaemic control and provide renal, metabolic, and selective cardiovascular benefits in people with type 2 diabetes, based on an umbrella review of 17 meta-analyses. However, these agents consistently increase gastrointestinal adverse effects and show important distinctions between class-level outcomes and individual drug effects, particularly for semaglutide.

20 Nov 2025

Researchers identify the key habits that help adults eat more slowly

Eating slowly and chewing well in Japanese adults were strongly associated with savoring food and avoiding eating with a full mouth, with oral health playing an important supporting role. These behaviours varied across age and gender groups, highlighting cultural eating practices and dental factors that shape how people eat across adulthood.

20 Nov 2025

Evidence links severe gum disease to erectile dysfunction and broader men’s health risks

A healthy mouth is also key to a healthy body, as gum disease has been linked to non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer's.

20 Nov 2025

Aged blood vessel cells play key role in the development of metabolic disorders

Investigators from the Center for Advanced Gerotherapeutics at Cedars-Sinai found that aged blood vessel cells play a key role in the development of metabolic disorders, including diabetes.

20 Nov 2025

Can black cumin help fight obesity?

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20 Nov 2025

Global experts map out the practical steps that help extend life expectancy

The 1st World Longevity Summit in Kyotango, Japan brought together global experts to share advances in aging biology, lifestyle medicine, and community-based strategies for healthy longevity. Its joint declaration identified four pillars – social connection, plant-based diets, daily activity, and gratitude with purpose – as core foundations for extending healthy life expectancy worldwide.

19 Nov 2025

Study finds people with type 1 diabetes have higher bladder cancer risk

People with type 1 diabetes (previously called juvenile diabetes) are 4.29 times more likely to develop bladder cancer, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis by researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

19 Nov 2025

Evaluating the role of stereotactic radiosurgery in craniopharyngioma management

Craniopharyngiomas account for 2–5% of all primary brain tumors and 5–10% of pediatric brain tumors. Despite their benign histology, their location near the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and optic pathways complicates management.

19 Nov 2025

High blood pressure in adolescence can be linked to atherosclerosis risk in middle age

A blood pressure as low as 120/80 mm Hg in adolescence can be linked to a higher risk of atherosclerosis in middle age, according to a study led from Linköping University, Sweden.

19 Nov 2025

Coffee protects the brain, metabolism, and immunity at the molecular level

This review uncovers the molecular networks of coffee's compounds, showcasing their antioxidant and neuroprotective effects on immunity and metabolism.

19 Nov 2025

BMI is failing to detect dangerous obesity as people age

A landmark study finds waist-to-height ratio more effective than BMI in identifying obesity risk, as central fat levels rise across the UK population.

19 Nov 2025

Oral semaglutide delivers real-world drops in blood sugar and weight in diabetes trial

Oral semaglutide delivered meaningful reductions in HbA1c and body weight among GLP-1RA-naïve adults with type 2 diabetes in a Dutch real-world cohort. Lipid levels and blood pressure showed only small changes, reflecting modest cardiometabolic effects outside glucose and weight control.

18 Nov 2025

Experts call for bold policies to curb the health harms of ultra-processed foods

The increase of UPFs in diets worldwide presents an urgent challenge to health that demands coordinated policies and advocacy action to address, says a new three paper Series authored by 43 global experts and published in The Lancet. The Series exposes the tactics UPF companies use to drive consumption and prevent effective policy.

18 Nov 2025

Study links obesity severity to escalating cardiometabolic and renal disease burden

Obesity severity is incrementally associated with a broad range of cardiometabolic and renal disease burden, as discovered by researchers at Pennington Biomedical Research Center. Recently published in Obesity, the paper "Association of Obesity Severity with Cardiometabolic and Renal Disease Burden in the United States," explored the relationship through a cross-sectional study of data from the U.S. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey.

18 Nov 2025

Tirzepatide reveals a brain signal that predicts returning food preoccupation

Researchers implanted electrodes in the human nucleus accumbens to track brain activity during severe food preoccupation in an individual taking tirzepatide. They found that a delta–theta biomarker disappeared during symptom-free periods and re-emerged weeks before relapse, suggesting a possible neural marker of vulnerability to dysregulated eating.

18 Nov 2025