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 Arthritis

Obesity and Genetics

Obesity in Pregnancy

Obesity and Respiratory Disorders

Obesity in Children

What does Sleeve Gastrectomy Involve?

Obesity and Stress

Obesity and Periodontitis

Causes of Obesity and Overweight

Obesity and Blood Pressure

Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated Gene (FTO)

See more featured articles »

Obesity, What Can be Done?

Obesity Management

Obesity and Exercise

Obesity and Cancer

Obesity in Adults

Obesity and Sleep

Obesity and Anesthesia

Obesity and Skin Problems

Obesity and Infertility

Obesity and Sexual Health

Obesity and Hormones

Obesity and Heart Disease

Obesity and Depression

Abdominal Obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity and Diabetes

Obesity Epidemiology

Dieting for Obese Children

Obesity and Autism

What is Obesity Paradox?

Obesity and Fast Food

Why is Visceral Fat Dangerous?

What is Body Mass Index (BMI)?

Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity and Fractures

Latest Obesity News and Research

Researchers identify a previously unknown mechanism that can drive cancer cachexia

Researchers at Helmholtz Munich, the Heidelberg Faculty of Medicine at Heidelberg University, the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) and the Technical University of Munich (TUM), have identified a previously unknown mechanism that can drive cancer cachexia – a wasting process in the body that primarily affects muscle and fat tissue.

1 Sep 2026

Blocking a key protein protects against metabolic liver damage

Obesity-related metabolic liver disease affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, but only some fraction of those livers develop scarring, become inflamed, and eventually fail. University of Utah researchers have identified a protein, EFHD1, that appears to drive that transition by triggering an out-of-place antiviral immune response.

1 Sep 2026

AI platform uncovers new molecular targets for Alzheimer's disease

Groundbreaking study published in Alzheimer's & Dementia reveals the crucial links between the NAD⁺-mitophagy axis and neurodegeneration.

1 Sep 2026

GLP-1 drugs have benefits beyond weight loss. Could microdoses preserve them?

A narrative review suggests GLP-1-based therapies deliver metabolic, cardiovascular, renal, and other systemic benefits, raising interest in whether lower fractional doses could improve tolerability and treatment continuity. However, direct evidence for GLP-1 microdosing remains extremely limited, and researchers say prospective studies are needed to determine whether lower doses preserve long-term benefits.

1 Sep 2026

Semaglutide did more than cut weight in this analysis of 6,239 adults

A systematic review and meta-analysis of nine randomized controlled trials involving 6,239 adults with overweight or obesity without diabetes found that subcutaneous semaglutide produced substantially greater reductions in body weight, waist circumference, and C-reactive protein than placebo. The higher dose of 7.2 mg semaglutide showed potential for greater weight loss, although the evidence is largely based on a single trial and requires confirmation.

31 Aug 2026

The scale told a similar story across three diets. The liver told a different one

In a randomized controlled trial of people with metabolically unhealthy obesity, approximately 10% weight loss improved insulin sensitivity and several cardiometabolic measures across ketogenic, Mediterranean, and very-low-fat plant-forward diets. However, the very-low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet produced larger improvements in hepatic insulin sensitivity and greater reductions in liver fat and several glucose and insulin measures than the higher-carbohydrate diets.

31 Aug 2026

Experts call for safer weight loss as concerns grow over GLP-1 use

An editorial in Diabetology International argues that inappropriate GLP-1 use should be judged not only by regulatory compliance or off-label prescribing, but also by whether weight reduction is medically safe, nutritionally adequate, and properly supervised. Drawing on Japanese reports of ketosis and ketoacidosis following inappropriate tirzepatide use, the authors call for greater attention to the risks of unsafe weight-loss practices alongside medication-related harms.

30 Aug 2026

Is there a best day to take GLP-1 drugs? Researchers looked for an answer

A systematic review of 1,000 screened records identified only three eligible studies examining administration timing for semaglutide, and none directly compared different days of the week or assessed tirzepatide timing. The limited evidence suggests flexible dosing may support adherence and tolerability without compromising glycemic control or weight loss, but these findings rely largely on indirect evidence and expert opinion rather than direct comparative trials.

30 Aug 2026

Pacibekitug safely reduces inflammatory biomarkers in kidney disease patients

The interleukin-6 (IL-6) antibody, pacibekitug, produced sustained reductions in inflammatory biomarkers in patients with chronic kidney disease at high inflammatory risk, according to results from the phase II TRANQUILITY trial presented in a Hot Line session today at ESC Congress 2026.

29 Aug 2026

Plyo-HIIT program targets healthier body composition in children

Traditional weight-loss strategies for children, from calorie restriction to general aerobic exercise, often carry an unwanted side effect: they cut fat, but they also erode muscle mass.

28 Aug 2026

Stanford scientists develop an ultracompact gene activation tool

The ability to precisely adjust the expression of genes inside the human body - ramping up protective ones and tamping down harmful ones - holds enormous potential for treating and preventing disease.

28 Aug 2026

Study shows how cancer can act as a systemic disease

In their quest to understand how cancers take root, grow and spread, scientists have for the past half-century explored the genetic aberrations and microenvironmental peculiarities of tumors and their constituent cells.

28 Aug 2026

Study identifies role for peroxisomes in protecting insulin and maintaining beta cell health

Researchers at LSU's Pennington Biomedical Research Center have identified a previously underappreciated role for tiny structures inside cells called peroxisomes in protecting insulin and maintaining the health and maturity of insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells.

28 Aug 2026

Rapid rise of GLP-1 medicines brings obesity and eating disorders together

Obesity and eating disorders have traditionally been treated as separate areas of healthcare – but the rapid rise of GLP-1 medicines is increasingly bringing the two together.

28 Aug 2026

New guidelines simplify heart failure phenotypes into two groups

Reflecting improved understanding and treatment advances, new European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Guidelines on heart failure have been published online today in the European Heart Journal and will be presented at ESC Congress 2026 this afternoon.

28 Aug 2026

Review explores complex links between obesity and cardiovascular diseases

Announcing a new article publication for Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications journal. Obesity, given its strong association with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), is a major global public health issue attracting increasing attention.

27 Aug 2026

Scientists reviewed 20 edible and medicinal fungi for clues to better prebiotics

A review of 20 non-toxic edible and medicinal fungal species found that their polysaccharides can resist digestion, interact with gut microbes, and influence microbial metabolites linked to intestinal and metabolic health. The evidence suggests potential benefits for conditions including colitis, type 2 diabetes, and obesity, although most findings currently come from laboratory and animal studies.

27 Aug 2026

Personalized nutrition promotes weight loss without counting calories

The great majority of people taking part in a study lost weight by following personalised nutritional insights, rather than going on a calorie counting or restrictive diet, reveal findings from a new study.

27 Aug 2026

Ketogenic diet excels at reversing prediabetes and fatty liver

There is no shortage of popular diets to try, and they can generally produce weight loss if followed to the letter. But are all diet plans created equal in terms of reducing the cardiometabolic risks that come with obesity, such as Type 2 diabetes and liver disease?

27 Aug 2026

Ketogenic diet provides greatest health benefits for treating obesity

A diet that severely limits carbohydrates but is high in fat has the greatest health benefits for people with obesity compared to a Mediterranean diet or a low-fat diet, according to a clinical trial publishing August 27 in the Cell Press journal Cell Metabolism.

27 Aug 2026