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 Infertility

What is Body Mass Index (BMI)?

Obesity Epidemiology

Why is Visceral Fat Dangerous?

Obesity and Arthritis

Obesity and Depression

Obesity and Exercise

Obesity and Hormones

Obesity in Children

Obesity in Pregnancy

Obesity and Sexual Health

See more featured articles »

Causes of Obesity and Overweight

Obesity, What Can be Done?

Obesity and Fractures

Obesity and Periodontitis

Obesity Management

Obesity and Anesthesia

Obesity and Cancer

What does Sleeve Gastrectomy Involve?

Abdominal Obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity and Fast Food

Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated Gene (FTO)

Obesity and Sleep

Obesity and Autism

Obesity in Adults

What is Obesity Paradox?

Obesity and Blood Pressure

Obesity and Heart Disease

Dieting for Obese Children

Obesity and Genetics

Obesity and Stress

Obesity and Respiratory Disorders

Obesity and Diabetes

Obesity and Skin Problems

Latest Obesity News and Research

Weight-loss medications lessen the risk of violent criminal behavior

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are widely prescribed for diabetes and obesity, but studies have found evidence that the medications may also influence behavior, such as supporting impulse control and reducing substance use and alcohol consumption by potentially interacting with the brain's reward and stress systems.

17 Jun 2026

AI-designed drug for Parkinson's begins first human trial

Insilico Medicine ("Insilico", HKEX: 3696), a clinical-stage biotechnology company powered by generative artificial intelligence (AI), today announced it has achieved the first clinical milestone in its co-development collaboration with Hygtia Therapeutics with the completion of first-in-human dosing in the Phase I study of ISM8969.

17 Jun 2026

Experts outline a multidisciplinary approach to managing clinical obesity

The rapid rise of GLP-1 medications such as semaglutide and tirzepatide has transformed obesity treatment.

17 Jun 2026

Higher BMI raises risk for 19 cancers as global review expands the obesity-cancer link

A major systematic review and meta-analysis links higher BMI to increased risk of 19 cancer types, including leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, bladder cancer, and glioma, which were not previously recognized in major consensus reports. The study also reveals regional and sex-based variation in cancer risk, with genetic evidence generally supporting many observational links while highlighting the need for more diverse global cohorts.

17 Jun 2026

Tirzepatide activates calorie-burning brown fat to combat obesity

Tirzepatide doesn't just help people lose weight; it also activates brown adipose tissue, representing a major milestone in obesity research, according to a study being presented Monday at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.

16 Jun 2026

Prebiotic fiber supplement reduces harmful gut metabolites and improves liver health

A study conducted at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, was the first to investigate the effects of prebiotic xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) on fatty liver in humans.

16 Jun 2026

Study identifies top predictors for weight loss using tirzepatide

One of the largest real-world studies of people taking GLP-1 medications found women, those without pre-existing conditions such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, and behavioral factors such as previously setting a weight goal were the best predictors of total weight loss, according to a study being presented Monday at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.

16 Jun 2026

Gut bacteria may help explain why fatigue appears before illness

A small study of healthy Japanese adults found that fatigue was associated with distinct gut microbiome, microbial gene, and fecal metabolite patterns. The findings suggest fatigue may track with altered microbial energy metabolism and oxidative stress-related functional potential, but larger longitudinal studies are needed to test causality and clinical value.

16 Jun 2026

GLP-1s may improve testosterone levels and sperm quality in men with obesity

GLP‑1s do not harm male hormones or fertility after long-term use, according to a study being presented Monday at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.

15 Jun 2026

Global study links rising obesity to premature heart disease deaths

Researchers are warning that obesity is reshaping the global cardiovascular disease crisis, as trend data covering 204 countries reveal that heart disease now peaks in people aged 50-54 rather than the elderly and increasingly in South Asia, where rates have grown more than three times faster than global averages, according to a study being presented Monday at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.

15 Jun 2026

Long daily naps increase liver disease risk in diabetic patients

People with type 2 diabetes who nap longer than 30 minutes every day, regardless of their sleep patterns at night, increase their risk of developing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), according to a study being presented Monday at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.

15 Jun 2026

Childhood factors causing later menarche impact lifelong adult health

Problems in adulthood such as tobacco use disorder and some conditions related to the digestive system, heart, bladder, joints and brain, are all shown to be affected by some influences that occurred in childhood, according to research presented Saturday at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.

15 Jun 2026

Maternal weight shifts microbiota signaling in the fetal environment

A study conducted at the University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital suggests that factors related to maternal weight are reflected in signaling particles produced by the maternal microbiota not only in the gut but also in amniotic fluid.

15 Jun 2026

Study investigates whether obesity accelerates brain aging

Scientists have long known that being obese increases the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. What remains unclear is how that risk develops in the brain.

15 Jun 2026

Reinforcing daily rhythms helps the brain recover after stroke

A new study from scientists at the University of Rochester Medicine suggests that reinforcing the body's natural daily rhythms to improve sleep could help the brain recover after a stroke, pointing to a potential new strategy to improve brain waste clearance and outcomes long after the initial injury.

15 Jun 2026

Weight-loss surgery for obese teens found to be cost-effective over 10 years

Metabolic and bariatric surgery for teens with severe obesity was found to be cost-effective over 10 years, according to the new analysis from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago published in JAMA Network Open.

15 Jun 2026

Synthetic cooling agents in e-cigarettes link to abnormal heartbeats

Synthetic cooling ingredients added to e-cigarettes caused abnormal heartbeats (arrhythmias) and increased cardiovascular risk measures in mice and lab-grown human heart cells, according to new independent research published today in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

15 Jun 2026