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.

Metaflammation Explained: How Obesity, Diabetes, and Aging Are Connected

Obesity-associated metaflammation involves persistent, low-grade inflammation that disrupts insulin signaling and contributes to metabolic disease, with mechanisms that overlap with age-related inflammation. Weight loss and established metabolic treatments can reduce some inflammatory effects, while therapies targeting specific immune and microbial pathways remain under investigation.

Obesity and Respiratory Disorders

Obesity and Infertility

Obesity and Anesthesia

Obesity and Fast Food

What is Body Mass Index (BMI)?

Obesity and Fractures

What is Obesity?

Obesity and Cancer

What is Obesity Paradox?

Obesity and Arthritis

Obesity and Sleep

See more featured articles »

What does Sleeve Gastrectomy Involve?

Obesity in Children

Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated Gene (FTO)

Dieting for Obese Children

Obesity Management

Obesity and Hormones

Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity and Blood Pressure

Obesity and Sexual Health

Obesity and Autism

Causes of Obesity and Overweight

Obesity and Genetics

Obesity and Depression

Obesity and Skin Problems

Abdominal Obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity in Pregnancy

Why is Visceral Fat Dangerous?

Obesity and Periodontitis

Obesity and Stress

Obesity, What Can be Done?

Obesity and Diabetes

Obesity Epidemiology

Obesity in Adults

Obesity and Exercise

Obesity and Heart Disease

Latest Obesity News and Research

Personalized mobile health coaching reduces gestational diabetes among pregnant women

A continuous, personalized mobile health (mHealth) coaching programme can significantly reduce gestational diabetes incidence among high-risk pregnant women, independent of changes to maternal weight - according to an international study published today in the Lancet Digital Health.

13 Nov 2026

Multicenter trial validates continuous pregnancy-to-postpartum mobile health coaching program

A continuous, personalized mobile health (mHealth) coaching program can significantly reduce gestational diabetes incidence among high-risk pregnant women, independent of changes to maternal weight – according to an international study published today in the Lancet Digital Health.

13 Nov 2026

Scientists unveil first comprehensive atlas of basal ganglia cell types

Capturing a complete picture of what causes brain diseases from schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease to addiction has long remained a challenge to scientists.

12 Nov 2026

Your fitness may say less about cellular aging than you think

In a study of 84 middle-aged adults, researchers found that higher perceived stress and older age were associated with shorter telomeres, while physical fitness, body composition, and lifestyle habits showed no consistent independent associations. The findings suggest that telomere length may reflect psychosocial and health-related burden more closely than current physical performance, although the reported chronic disease association requires clarification because of an inconsistency in the paper's statistical coding.

12 Nov 2026

Experts warn against pharmaceutical influence in obesity destigmatization campaigns

We should be wary of campaigns by pharmaceutical companies to destigmatize obesity, say experts in The BMJ today.

12 Nov 2026

Your BMI might not tell the full story about obesity, new research suggests

A study of 6,978 middle-aged UK adults found that nearly 69% of those classified as having obesity by BMI met the criteria for preclinical rather than clinical obesity under a new diagnostic framework. Clinical obesity was associated with higher five-year mortality odds, while conventional BMI categories showed no statistically significant associations, although the small number of deaths limits the strength of these findings.

12 Nov 2026

A 43-gram sugar gap separates adults who check food labels from those who rarely do

A nationally representative US study of 9,416 children and adults found that frequent nutrition label users consumed an average of 42.8 g less added sugar daily among adults and 14.5 g less among children compared with infrequent users. The findings suggest an association between checking nutrition labels and lower added sugar intake, although the observational study could not establish causation.

12 Nov 2026

A 12-year study links longer TV viewing to faster kidney function decline

A 12-year study of 6,220 Australian adults found that longer daily television viewing was associated with faster kidney function decline, with a stronger association among people with type 2 diabetes. Exploratory analyses suggested that women and physically inactive individuals may also be more affected, although some findings were inconsistent and the observational study could not establish causation.

12 Nov 2026

A study of 844,000 adults reveals what BMI misses about obesity

A multinational study of 844,108 adults found that combining BMI with waist measurements improved obesity classification and identified mortality risks that BMI alone could miss. Clinical obesity was associated with a 69% higher all-cause mortality hazard, compared with 19% for preclinical obesity, while most participants with preclinical obesity were not estimated to progress to clinical obesity during long-term follow-up.

12 Nov 2026

Muscle benefits of lifting weights while taking tirzepatide

Resistance training alongside tirzepatide helped adults with obesity retain more lean tissue and gain strength without reducing weight-loss benefits.

12 Nov 2026

Phone reminders stop nighttime snacking, but not for long

An after dinner or bedtime snack can be hard to resist, but could a gentle nudge from a smartphone app help people with type two diabetes to quit the common habit?

12 Nov 2026

New statement highlights urgent need to improve veterans' heart health

Fewer than 5% of U.S. military veterans may achieve optimal cardiovascular health based on the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8™ metrics, highlighting an urgent opportunity to improve prevention and help veterans live longer, healthier lives, according to a new scientific statement published today in the Association's flagship journal, Circulation.

11 Nov 2026

Declining thermogenic fat activity may explain age-related cold sensitivity

Researchers from City of Hope®, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the country, have uncovered the biological reason for why we become more sensitive to cold as we get older.

11 Nov 2026

Gut microbial metabolites may reshape fat tissue through Wnt pathways

Fat tissue grows in two ways: existing fat cells swell, or progenitor cells spawn new fat cells. When new-cell formation falls behind long-term energy surplus, lipids pile up inside aging fat cells-bringing inflammation, insulin resistance, and fat deposits in the liver and muscle.

11 Nov 2026

Wastewater bacteria offer clues to community-wide health patterns

Bacteria found in wastewater may provide clues about community health, including rates of chronic disease, health behaviors and social conditions, according to a recent study from The Ohio State University.

10 Nov 2026

A weight-loss drug eased knee arthritis pain in two major trials

Retatrutide effectively alleviates knee pain and enhances mobility in obese osteoarthritis patients, but long-term safety and joint health remain uncertain.

10 Nov 2026

A child's sex may change how early sugar intake relates to body fat

A longitudinal study of 130 mother-child pairs found that added sugar intake during pregnancy was more strongly associated with body fat in girls, whereas exposure during infancy was more strongly associated with adiposity in boys at age two. The findings, based largely on a smaller group of 42 children with usable body-composition scans, are preliminary and do not establish a causal relationship.

9 Nov 2026

Late night eating and sleep habits damage gut health, increase metabolic disease risk

A new study led by UTHealth Houston identified a link between late-night eating and sleeping habits, gut health, and metabolic disease, offering new insights into why some individuals with obesity may face risk of inflammation and related health problems.

9 Nov 2026

Most eligible teens miss out on advanced obesity treatments

Despite the arrival of powerful new anti-obesity medications and growing evidence supporting weight-loss surgery for adolescents, the vast majority of eligible teens are receiving neither treatment, according to a new study from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago published in JAMA Pediatrics.

9 Nov 2026

Cleaner bedroom air linked to improved blood sugar control

Using portable filters to reduce exposure to air pollution during sleep may stabilize the large spikes in blood sugar experienced by people with prediabetes, a condition in which sugar (glucose) levels are higher than normal, a new study shows.

8 Nov 2026