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 Cancer

Obesity and Depression

Obesity and Fractures

Dieting for Obese Children

Causes of Obesity and Overweight

Obesity and Sexual Health

Obesity in Pregnancy

Obesity and Anesthesia

Obesity and Genetics

Obesity and Respiratory Disorders

Obesity in Children

See more featured articles »

Obesity and Diabetes

Obesity and Arthritis

Obesity and Sleep

Abdominal Obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity Management

Obesity and Periodontitis

Obesity and Hormones

What is Obesity Paradox?

Obesity and Exercise

Obesity and Blood Pressure

Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity and Infertility

Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated Gene (FTO)

Obesity and Heart Disease

Obesity Epidemiology

What is Body Mass Index (BMI)?

Obesity in Adults

What does Sleeve Gastrectomy Involve?

Obesity, What Can be Done?

Obesity and Skin Problems

Obesity and Stress

Why is Visceral Fat Dangerous?

Obesity and Autism

Obesity and Fast Food

Latest Obesity News and Research

Yeast food supplement helps immune cells fight cancer more effectively

Researchers from Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and University College Dublin (UCD) have shown for the first time that a food supplement made from yeast helps the body to make stronger immune cells that can fight cancer.

9 Jul 2026

Medicare prescriptions for Wegovy spike after heart disease coverage expansion

Medicare prescriptions for Wegovy increased sharply after the program started covering the anti-obesity medication to prevent heart problems, but just a fraction of beneficiaries likely eligible received the treatment, according to new research from the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics.

9 Jul 2026

Study uncovers mechanism that regulates how the body uses stored fat to produce energy

An international study by scientists at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has identified a fundamental mechanism that regulates how the body uses stored fat to produce energy.

9 Jul 2026

New Italian data show extreme longevity is spreading beyond the blue zones

A nationwide ecological analysis of Italian regions found that aging and extreme longevity indicators rose steadily from 1982 to 2025, with northern and central regions generally leading. Regional patterns linked higher longevity indices to lower diabetes and cerebrovascular mortality and healthier contemporary nutrition profiles, while Cilento emerged as a notable southern hotspot.

9 Jul 2026

Setmelanotide shows promise for hypothalamic obesity after brain tumors

A new therapy helps achieve a healthier BMI in people whose weight has become dysregulated following treatment for a brain tumor, a clinical trial has found.

8 Jul 2026

Study finds growing burden of diabetes-related chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common, largely silent, and serious. Most people who have the condition do not realize they have it, while it sharply raises the risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure and early death.

8 Jul 2026

New consensus outlines best practices for obesity medications

Obesity and dietitian societies have joined forces to issue a new consensus statement on recommendations surrounding use of obesity drugs for weight loss treatment.

8 Jul 2026

Socioeconomic status brings unequal metabolic disease reductions across racial, ethnic groups

Higher socioeconomic status is not associated with equal reductions in rates of type 2 diabetes and obesity across all racial and ethnic groups in the United States, according to a new study published July 8, 2026, in the open access journal PLOS One by Sara Cromer of Harvard Medical School, USA, and colleagues.

8 Jul 2026

New study identifies shared risk factors for breast cancer and atrial fibrillation

Alcohol use and smoking were linked to breast cancer and atrial fibrillation/flutter in women ages 55 years and older in multiple regions of the world, according to new, independent research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

8 Jul 2026

Sexual and gender minority populations are less likely to receive cancer screening

A study reveals significant disparities in cancer screening rates among sexual and gender minorities, highlighting the need for equitable healthcare access.

8 Jul 2026

Hospital admissions for miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy rise in England

Hospital admissions for miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy have increased in England in recent years, according to research presented today at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE).

7 Jul 2026

Persistent high cortisol levels increase hypertension risk in patients with adrenal tumors

A major new study, published today in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology has shown that cortisol levels in patients with adrenal tumours are far less stable than previously assumed.

7 Jul 2026

Updated ABCs framework gives clinicians a clearer path to prevent heart disease

A 2026 State-of-the-Art review updates the ABCs of cardiovascular disease prevention to help clinicians apply contemporary risk assessment, lifestyle, pharmacologic, and cardiometabolic strategies in routine care. The framework emphasizes PREVENT™ risk equations, Life’s Essential 8, CKM syndrome, obesity care, lipid lowering, blood pressure control, healthy aging, heart failure prevention, and atrial fibrillation management.

7 Jul 2026

New study identifies potential compound for pancreatic cancer treatment

Announcing a new article publication in BIO Integration. Fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO), an epitranscriptomic regulator, has been implicated in cancer progression and immune regulation but the therapeutic relevance in pancreatic cancer is unclear.

7 Jul 2026

Gut microbiome changes can signal future type 2 diabetes risk

The presence of certain bacteria in the gut microbiota, and fluctuations in a person's metabolism, can be seen in people who go on to develop type 2 diabetes years later.

7 Jul 2026

U.S. obesity rates rose sharply between 1999 and 2023

Obesity rates among U.S. adults and children rose sharply in recent years and by 2023, 40% of adults and 20% of youth met the criteria for obesity, according to new, independent research published today in the American Heart Association's flagship journal Circulation.

7 Jul 2026