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 Management

Obesity in Children

Obesity and Respiratory Disorders

Abdominal Obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity and Diabetes

Obesity and Infertility

Obesity and Sleep

Obesity and Stress

What does Sleeve Gastrectomy Involve?

What is Body Mass Index (BMI)?

Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated Gene (FTO)

See more featured articles »

Obesity and Hormones

Obesity and Sexual Health

Obesity and Anesthesia

What is Obesity Paradox?

Obesity and Depression

Obesity, What Can be Done?

Obesity in Adults

Obesity and Autism

Obesity and Periodontitis

Obesity and Cancer

Obesity and Skin Problems

Obesity Epidemiology

Obesity and Fast Food

Obesity and Genetics

Obesity in Pregnancy

Why is Visceral Fat Dangerous?

Obesity and Exercise

Causes of Obesity and Overweight

Obesity and Heart Disease

Dieting for Obese Children

Obesity and Blood Pressure

Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity and Arthritis

Obesity and Fractures

Latest Obesity News and Research

Copper isotope shows promise for early childhood anemia detection

The rising incidence of anemia and overweight has been identified as a serious public health problem worldwide, especially among children and adolescents.

21 Jul 2026

Study tests chronotype’s liver link and finds no significant association

Researchers found no significant association between chronotype and FibroScan-derived liver fat or stiffness in 119 medication-naïve adults with overweight or obesity. The exploratory findings cannot exclude smaller effects, particularly for fibrosis, and require confirmation in larger longitudinal studies.

21 Jul 2026

Drinking more water with meals may lead people to eat more

In two randomized crossover studies involving 86 adults, greater water consumption and more frequent switching between bites and sips were associated with higher food and energy intake during beef chili and chicken tikka masala meals. The exploratory secondary analysis cannot establish causality, but it challenges the assumption that drinking water during a meal necessarily curbs eating.

20 Jul 2026

High costs continue limiting insurance coverage for GLP-1 medications

Despite growing evidence that GLP-1 medications improve health and are worth their cost, many insurance plans still limit coverage. University of Mississippi researchers are examining why, and where that leaves patients.

20 Jul 2026

Study reveals geographic gaps in breastfeeding initiation across America

A nationwide analysis led by a UC Riverside (Calif.) professor provides one of the clearest pictures yet of where mothers are least likely to begin breastfeeding their babies in the United States and what circumstances associate with lower rates.

20 Jul 2026

Semaglutide vs. liraglutide: Head-to-head study reveals a diabetes risk difference

Researchers compared semaglutide with liraglutide in 57,456 insured adults without recorded diabetes or cardiovascular disease who initiated formulations indicated for chronic weight management. Semaglutide users had a lower risk of incident diabetes, particularly beyond six months of follow-up, but limited cardiovascular events prevented a precise comparison of cardiovascular risk.

20 Jul 2026

GLP-1 weight-loss drugs may also reduce binge eating

Research indicates GLP-1RAs may effectively reduce binge eating severity, offering a complementary approach to existing psychological therapies for obesity.

20 Jul 2026

NFL PLAY 60 grants help schools boost student physical activity

Lower physical activity is taking a toll on the health of American children and contributing to rising obesity rates nationwide.

17 Jul 2026

Compounded GLP-1 drug market remains strong despite shortage ending

Despite the end of federal shortages of popular GLP-1 weight-loss medications, the market for compounded alternatives remains strong – and some patients may unknowingly be receiving products from pharmacies with concerning regulatory histories, according to new research from the University of Colorado Anschutz.

17 Jul 2026

Diet helps people lose weight regardless of genetic obesity risk

A study reveals dietary coaching aids weight loss equally in individuals with high and low genetic obesity risk, challenging genetic determinism in weight loss.

17 Jul 2026

Maternal diets high in UPFs may influence children’s health years later

A narrative review of 84 publications links higher ultra-processed food intake during pregnancy and early childhood with poorer diet quality, maternal complications, childhood obesity, and potential immune, metabolic, and neurodevelopmental effects. The authors identify possible microbiome and biopsychosocial pathways but emphasize that the predominantly observational evidence cannot establish causality.

17 Jul 2026

New guideline offers recommendations for testosterone replacement therapy use

The Society's Clinical Practice Guideline on testosterone replacement therapy in men with hypogonadism offers recommendations on appropriate testing and prescribing practices.

16 Jul 2026

Evening chronotype links later eating with higher body fat

Research shows evening chronotypes in women consume more energy later, leading to higher body fat and metabolic issues, highlighting chrono-nutrition's role.

16 Jul 2026

Blood ketone threshold may help predict weight loss success

Achieving and sustaining a blood ketone level of 0.5 mmol/L is crucial for weight loss in ketogenic diets, offering a new approach to dietary monitoring.

16 Jul 2026

New body mass index could overcome limitations of BMI

The Consistent Body Mass Index (CBMI) offers a promising alternative to traditional BMI, aligning with waist-to-height ratio for better body size assessment.

16 Jul 2026

Fractyl Health reports positive randomized data from REMAIN-1 Midpoint Cohort demonstrating durable weight maintenance one year after GLP-1 discontinuation

Fractyl Health, Inc. (Fractyl), a clinical-stage metabolic therapeutics company focused on pioneering novel approaches to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D), today announced positive one-year results from its REMAIN-1 Midpoint Cohort (“Midpoint Cohort”).

16 Jul 2026

Weight loss drugs may reduce binge eating disorder symptoms

Drugs commonly used for weight loss, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, have been found to reduce the key symptoms of binge eating disorder, in a new review of evidence led by University College London (UCL) researchers.

15 Jul 2026

Foreign-born Black adults show lower stroke risk than Americans

For Black individuals in the United States, being born in another country was associated with a lower risk of stroke, according to a study published July 15, 2026, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

15 Jul 2026

Why dementia prevention should be tailored by country

An international study reveals common clusters of dementia risk factors, highlighting the need for tailored prevention strategies across diverse populations.

15 Jul 2026

GLP-1 receptor activation linked to lower depression and bipolar disorder odds

Genetic analyses linked BMI-related GLP-1 receptor activation to better mental well-being and lower odds of major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. The findings do not prove that GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs treat psychiatric conditions, and randomized clinical trials are still needed.

15 Jul 2026