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

Variations in inflammatory gene increase the risk of obesity

A gene that helps to control inflammation increases the risk of obesity and could be turned off in mice to stop weight gain, a study from The University of Queensland has found.

29 Sep 2020

Research reveals how genetic differences in body fat affect men and women's health risks

New research is revealing how genetic differences in the fat in men's and women's bodies affect the diseases each sex is likely to get.

28 Sep 2020

Social inequities in Black and South Asian immigrants increase risk of severe COVID-19 infection

Black, South Asian and Aboriginal populations from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds in Canada are nearly four times more likely to have three or more medical conditions that have been identified as risk factors for severe illness from COVID-19.

25 Sep 2020

New $1.5 million, multi-state data project to examine COVID-19 outcomes and treatments

The power of data, often an underappreciated catalyst to fixing the world's pressing problems, was recognized by Dr. Sally Hodder as a critical key in battling COVID-19 before West Virginia even reported its first case.

24 Sep 2020

As fires and floods wreak havoc on health, new climate center seeks solutions

For the past month, record-breaking wildfires have torched millions of acres from the Mexican border well into Canada, their smoke producing air so toxic that millions of people remained indoors for days on end while many visited hospitals because of respiratory distress.

24 Sep 2020

Lack of considerations in cumulative effect of food chemicals could have contributed to increased chronic diseases

Today, a group of health, environmental, and consumer organizations challenged the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) practice of not accounting for the cumulative health effect of chemicals in the diet when allowing new chemicals in food.

24 Sep 2020

Study: 5 to 10% of surgically induced weight loss linked with cardiovascular benefits

A Cleveland Clinic study shows that 5 to 10 percent of surgically induced weight loss is associated with improved life expectancy and cardiovascular health.

23 Sep 2020

Overactivation of fructose made in the brain may drive Alzheimer's disease

New research released from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus proposes that Alzheimer's disease may be driven by the overactivation of fructose made in the brain.

23 Sep 2020

Genetic analysis finds link between obesity-related genes and rheumatoid arthritis

An analysis of genetic data collected from more than 850,000 individuals of European ancestry has found a link between obesity-related genes and rheumatoid arthritis.

23 Sep 2020

Owlstone Medical releases positive study results on use of breath biopsy for better liver disease diagnosis

Owlstone Medical, the global leader in Breath Biopsy for applications in early disease detection and precision medicine, today announced the results of a patient study that successfully demonstrates the use of exhaled limonene as a breath biomarker to measure liver function and stage liver disease.

From Owlstone Medical Ltd 23 Sep 2020

Shielding strategy could be ineffective in reducing COVID-19 prevalence and mortality

With the recognition that certain subgroups of the population seemed to have a higher risk of developing severe disease following infection, some countries put shielding policies into place to protect them from infection.

23 Sep 2020

Black young adults pay a higher price to achieve prosperity

The American dream of achieving prosperity requires hard work and sacrifice, and some Americans pay a higher price for that dream than others, according to a new study from University of Georgia researchers.

23 Sep 2020

Exercise hormone could have a therapeutic effect on COVID-19 patients

A study conducted by researchers at São Paulo State University suggests that irisin, a hormone secreted from muscles in response to exercise, could have a therapeutic effect on COVID-19 patients.

22 Sep 2020

Farming population is highly vulnerable to COVID-19

Preventing the horrific mortality and ill health consequences of COVID-19 infection poses a huge and on-going challenge in Ireland and among the farming community over the coming months.

22 Sep 2020

Respiratory specimens testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 decrease in the U.S., CDC report

In the report, published on Sept. 18, the CDC shows that indicators tracking COVID-19 activity continued to decline or remain stable. Still, two regions say a slight increase in the percentage of specimens testing positive for SARS-CoV-2. Meanwhile, four regions reported a slight increase in the percent of outpatient or emergency department visits for influenza-like illness (ILI).

22 Sep 2020