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 Autism

Obesity and Anesthesia

Dieting for Obese Children

Obesity in Adults

Obesity and Fast Food

Abdominal Obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity and Exercise

What is Obesity Paradox?

Obesity and Hormones

Obesity and Sleep

Obesity Management

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Obesity and Periodontitis

Obesity and Respiratory Disorders

Obesity, What Can be Done?

Obesity and Genetics

Obesity and Blood Pressure

Obesity in Pregnancy

Obesity and Diabetes

Obesity and Depression

What does Sleeve Gastrectomy Involve?

Obesity and Infertility

Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome

What is Body Mass Index (BMI)?

Why is Visceral Fat Dangerous?

Obesity and Stress

Obesity and Fractures

Obesity and Cancer

Obesity and Sexual Health

Obesity Epidemiology

Causes of Obesity and Overweight

Obesity in Children

Obesity and Skin Problems

Obesity and Arthritis

Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated Gene (FTO)

Obesity and Heart Disease

Latest Obesity News and Research

Mediterranean diet benefits identified by SPARC levels

A new study published in Life Metabolism reports that a single post-meal blood biomarker, 1-hour postprandial SPARC (SPARC-1H), can predict who will benefit most from adopting a Mediterranean diet.

29 Nov 2025

Blocking a ‘gerozyme’ reverses cartilage loss in mice

An injection that blocks the activity of a protein involved in aging reverses naturally occurring cartilage loss in the knee joints of old mice, a Stanford Medicine-led study has found.

28 Nov 2025

How the gut microbiome links obesity to colorectal cancer

The gut microbiome serves as both a biomarker and therapeutic target in diseases like obesity, metabolic syndrome, and colorectal cancer.

28 Nov 2025

Alternate-day fasting cuts body fat but also reduces muscle

Research reveals that alternate-day fasting reduces body weight and fat but also leads to muscle loss, with whey protein supplementation proving ineffective.

28 Nov 2025

Drinking three to four cups of coffee a day may slow cellular aging

New findings reveal that 3-4 cups of coffee daily may enhance telomere length, potentially slowing cellular aging in individuals with severe mental disorders.

28 Nov 2025

Hematological and biochemical indicators show growing value in breast cancer management

Breast cancer remains a predominant global health challenge for women, with late-stage diagnosis being a key contributor to its high mortality.

27 Nov 2025

Study finds major setbacks in blood pressure prevention and management in England

A comprehensive new analysis by researchers at Queen Mary University of London warns that England has lost the substantial gains made in high blood pressure prevention, diagnosis and management during the 2000s.

27 Nov 2025

Uncovering the hidden metabolic effects of soybean oil

Soybean oil, the most widely consumed cooking oil in the United States and a staple of processed foods, contributes to obesity, at least in mice, through a mechanism scientists are now beginning to understand.

27 Nov 2025

Gut bacteria threatened by pesticides and other common chemical pollutants

A large-scale laboratory screening of human-made chemicals has identified 168 chemicals that are toxic to bacteria found in the healthy human gut.

26 Nov 2025

Obesity-related metabolic stress may affect brain health far earlier than expected

For decades, scientists have known that what harms the body often harms the brain. Conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure and insulin resistance strain the body's vascular and metabolic systems.

25 Nov 2025

Genetic signals reveal why erectile dysfunction develops and who is most at risk

This multi-ancestry genomic study identifies key genetic loci underlying erectile dysfunction and shows that ED risk is shaped by both cardiometabolic and substance use–related genetic pathways. Using EHR-linked data, the researchers uncover SIM1-related mechanisms, modest PRS performance, and bidirectional genetic links with obesity, diabetes, and addiction traits.

25 Nov 2025

Maternal thyroid hormone imbalance linked to increased autism risk in offspring

Women with persistent thyroid hormone imbalance across pregnancy may be at an increased risk of having children with autism, according to a new study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

25 Nov 2025

Deep learning AI model identifies first-of-its-kind biomarker of chronic stress

Using a deep learning AI model, researchers identified the first-of-its-kind biomarker of chronic stress detectable through routine imaging, according to research being presented next week at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

25 Nov 2025

Ultra-processed foods linked to rise in prediabetes risk

The study reveals that ultra-processed foods heighten prediabetes risk in young adults with obesity history, stressing the importance of healthy eating habits.

25 Nov 2025

Genetic factors behind impulsive choices tied to metabolic and mental health

Researchers from University of California San Diego have identified 11 genetic regions linked to delay discounting - the tendency to prefer smaller, immediate rewards over larger, delayed ones - shedding new light on how impulsive decision-making relates to both mental and physical health.

24 Nov 2025

Study reveals metabolic benefits of reducing ultra-processed foods in older adults

A controlled feeding study out of South Dakota State University shows that older adults who ate fewer ultra-processed foods naturally consumed fewer calories, lost weight and abdominal fat, and showed improvements in insulin, nutrient-sensing hormones, and inflammation.

24 Nov 2025

GLP-1 discontinuation associated with more weight gain and pregnancy complications

In a study led by researchers at Mass General Brigham, pregnant individuals who stopped taking popular weight loss GLP-1 medications before or early in their pregnancy tended to gain more weight and have higher risks of diabetes and hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, and experienced preterm delivery more so than people who had never taken GLP-1 drugs.

24 Nov 2025

New study links untreated sleep apnea to higher Parkinson’s disease risk

New research reveals that people with untreated obstructive sleep apnea have a higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease. However, they can significantly reduce the risk by improving the quality of their sleep by using continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP.

24 Nov 2025

Gut neurons control immunity attack or repair

Beneath the surface of your gut lies a vast network of neurons—as many as in your spinal cord. New research from the Champalimaud Foundation (CF) in Lisbon shows that in mice this "second brain" helps decide whether the immune system should go into attack mode or start repairing tissue.

24 Nov 2025

Gaining too little or too much weight in pregnancy affects birth outcomes

The review of 1.6 million pregnancies shows diverse weight gain impacts, stressing the urgency for updated guidelines to improve maternal and infant health.

24 Nov 2025