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

Look AHEAD study: Type 2 diabetes patients who were physically active in the afternoon have greater reductions in blood sugar

Over 37 million Americans have diabetes, and 90-95% of that population are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle interventions, such as a healthy diet and a regular physical activity program, are methods to manage diabetes.

27 May 2023

Expectant mothers and fathers remain unprepared for parenthood, new report warns

Expectant mothers and fathers are being “failed” by the UK government’s public health plans leaving them unprepared for parenthood, a new report has warned.

26 May 2023

Illinois Tech selected as enrollment site for NIH's landmark initiative to advance nutrition research

Illinois Institute of Technology is one of 14 institutions chosen as an enrollment site for the National Institute of Health's landmark initiative to advance nutrition research.

26 May 2023

Study identifies a novel druggable signaling molecule involved in obesity and diabetes

More than 40% of Americans are considered obese, and the trend continues to grow. The treatments or preventive options for obesity and obesity-associated diseases are limited.

26 May 2023

Telephone-based weight loss program can help patients with breast cancer to reduce their weight

Women with obesity when they are diagnosed with early breast cancer have a higher risk of recurrence or a second cancer compared to women whose weight is in the normal range and it can be hard to lose weight after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

26 May 2023

Markey one of 71 NCI designated cancer centers in the U.S.

When the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center earned a designation the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in 2013, it instantly established Markey as one of the top cancer research centers in the U.S.

26 May 2023

Are inadequate culinary skills among undergraduate students associated with obesity and overweight?

Researchers investigated the association between the culinary skills of undergraduate students and their chances of being obese.

26 May 2023

Tumors in distant organs remotely reprogram the liver

Cancers often release molecules into the bloodstream that pathologically alter the liver, shifting it to an inflammatory state, causing fat buildup and impairing its normal detoxifying functions, according to a study from investigators at Weill Cornell Medicine.

25 May 2023

New review unravels phthalates’ role in heart disease

Researchers review existing data on the impact of phthalate exposure on cardiovascular health.

25 May 2023

Physical activity in the afternoon provides greatest improvements in glucose control for patients with type 2 diabetes

Over 37 million Americans have diabetes, and 90-95% of that population are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

25 May 2023

Poor eating habits of university students can contribute to future health issues

A UBC Okanagan researcher is cautioning that a person's poor eating habits established during post-secondary studies can contribute to future health issues including obesity, respiratory illnesses and depression.

25 May 2023

Study sheds light on global disparities in mortality rates from liver disease

New research is shedding light on global disparities in mortality rates from late-stage liver disease, also called cirrhosis.

25 May 2023

Does long-term exposure to air pollution impact cardiometabolic health markers?

The relationship between exposure to air pollution and its impact on cardiometabolic health markers.

25 May 2023

Precision nutrition and the gut microbiome: the impact of blueberries

Researchers explored the impacts of precision nutrition on gut microbiome variation.

25 May 2023

Study maps cellular responses to blood sugar

Researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso have successfully mapped specific regions in the brain that are activated in association with changes in blood sugar -; also known as glucose -; providing fundamental location information that could ultimately lead to more targeted therapies for people who struggle with conditions like diabetes.

25 May 2023

Mediterranean diet shown to be good for health and also the weekly budget

We’ve heard it time and time again – the Mediterranean diet is great for our health. But despite the significant health benefits of this eating plan, a common deterrent is often the expected costs, especially when budgets are tight.

25 May 2023

COVID-19 'bites the apple': Abdominal obesity ignites cytokine storm

Abdominal obesity increases the risk of severe COVID-19 and mortality due to heightened inflammatory responses, according to a study on Japanese patients and a murine COVID-19 model. Blocking inflammatory cytokines and preventing obesity may improve survival rates.

24 May 2023

Study unravels links between obesity, mental health, and self-esteem in adolescents: Early intervention key to prevention

How happiness with appearance, dieting, bullying, and self-esteem mediates the relationship between mental health and BMI in adolescents.

24 May 2023

Researchers design new tool to remove clinician barriers in providing weight management care

After finding that few to no clinicians provided weight management care, researchers developed a weight loss tool called PATHWEIGH.

24 May 2023

Focusing on satiety and satiation may be better for weight loss success

Researchers hypothesized that focusing on satiety (feeling free of hunger) and satiation (feeling satisfied with a meal) through the consumption of fruits and vegetables may be better targets for weight loss success.

24 May 2023

Obesity

Overview

Feature Articles

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

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

Top-Down Proteomics: Bridging the Genotype-to-Phenotype Gap

Bridging the Gap between Academia and Industry: The Power of Collaboration in Life Sciences

Revolutionizing Schizophrenia Research

Newsletters you may be interested in