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

Biomarkers in the blood can predict severe outcomes in COVID-19 patients

When patients with COVID-19 arrive in emergency rooms, there are relatively few ways for doctors to predict which ones are more likely to become critically ill and require intensive care and which ones are more likely to enjoy a quick recovery.

26 Feb 2021

Bladder cancer is more aggressive and advanced in South Texas, study shows

Bladder cancer is more aggressive and more advanced in South Texas residents than in many parts of the country, a study by the Mays Cancer Center, home to UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson, indicates.

25 Feb 2021

Study: Majority of COVID-19 hospitalizations attributable to four pre-existing conditions

A modeling study suggests a majority of adult COVID-19 hospitalizations nationwide are attributable to at least one of four pre-existing conditions: obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and heart failure, in that order.

25 Feb 2021

Excess total body fat in girls may affect puberty timing, hormones and breast maturation

Puberty looks different, in terms of both reproductive hormones and breast maturation, in girls with excess total body fat, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

25 Feb 2021

Abnormal sodium levels predict respiratory failure and mortality in hospitalized COVID-19 patients

Hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and abnormal sodium levels in the blood have an increased risk of experiencing respiratory failure or dying, according to a study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

25 Feb 2021

Study of children hospitalized with COVID-19 shows 2% mortality

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has been observed to be less serious in infants and children. However, this age group is also subject to certain complications following infection. A new study describes the findings of an observational study of children hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection in several different hospitals across three countries.

25 Feb 2021

Study shows reliability and robustness of injectable anti-obesity medication

A second study of the injectable anti-obesity medication, semaglutide, has confirmed the large weight losses reported in a study earlier this month, establishing the reliability and robustness of this new drug.

24 Feb 2021

C$40-million investment supports new network to fight against diabetes and other chronic diseases

Novo Nordisk A/S and the University of Toronto have announced a C$40-million investment to establish the Novo Nordisk Network for Healthy Populations. Based at U of T Mississauga, the new network is a partnership between the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and University of Toronto Mississauga.

24 Feb 2021

In Vivo Probes for Detecting Inflammation Markers in Humans and Animals

News-Medical talks to Parry Hashemi about research on in vivo probes for detecting inflammation markers in humans and animals she will present at Pittcon.

From Pittcon 24 Feb 2021

Researchers evaluate long-term effectiveness of pessaries for treating pelvic organ prolapse

The aging population combined with increasing obesity rates has resulted in more women experiencing pelvic organ prolapse. Common treatment options include pelvic reconstructive surgery or the use of pessaries to prop up descending organs.

24 Feb 2021

Hormone known to prevent weight gain can help maintain healthy muscles in mice

A new study suggests that a hormone known to prevent weight gain and normalize metabolism can also help maintain healthy muscles in mice.

23 Feb 2021

Three studies emphasize how behavioral and social factors are intrinsic to aging

A trio of recent studies highlights the need to incorporate behavioral and social science alongside the study of biological mechanisms in order to slow aging.

23 Feb 2021

Study provides better understanding of metabolic routes involved in regulating satiety

Results of the European study SATIN (SATiety INnovation) reveal a relation between certain metabolites in the blood and the satiety perceived after consuming food.

22 Feb 2021

Virus-specific cellular immunity may be essential for long-term protection against SARS-CoV-2

Researchers from China and the US recently synthesized select peptide pools of the structural and functional proteins of SARS-CoV-2, including spike (S), envelope (E), membrane (M), nucleocapsid (N), and protease (P) proteins as target antigens to assess COVID-19-specific immunity.

22 Feb 2021

Toddler sleep habits could help explain the association between household poverty and BMI

Establishing a consistent sleep schedule for a toddler can be one of the most challenging aspects of child rearing, but it also may be one of the most important.

22 Feb 2021

Some nutritional supplements may help prevent or mitigate COVID-19 severity

A new study in the Journal of dietary supplements shows that nutritional supplements, including several vitamins and the mineral zinc, may be useful in preventing the infection or reducing its severity if caught.

22 Feb 2021

Periodontal inflammation associated with higher risk of major cardiovascular events

People with periodontitis are at higher risk of experiencing major cardiovascular events, according to new research from Forsyth Institute and Harvard University scientists and colleagues.

22 Feb 2021

High fructose diets might prevent proper functioning of peoples' immune system

New research by Swansea scientists in collaboration with researchers at the University of Bristol and the Francis Crick Institute in London has indicated that consuming a diet high in sugar fructose might prevent the proper functioning of peoples' immune systems in ways that have, until now, largely been unknown.

22 Feb 2021

New rodent model helps identify pregnant women whose prior kidney injury also affects babies

Young pregnant women, who appear to have fully recovered from an acute injury that reduced their kidney function, have higher rates of significant problems like preeclampsia and low birthweight babies, problems which indicate their kidneys have not actually fully recovered.

22 Feb 2021

Polyphenols may provide protective effect against COVID-19 disease

In the study published in the journal Integrative Physiology, the researchers found that a high intake of polyphenols may have a protective effect on patients with COVID-19 and prevent disease progression.

22 Feb 2021