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.

Causes of Obesity and Overweight

Obesity, What Can be Done?

What is Body Mass Index (BMI)?

Obesity and Fast Food

Obesity and Exercise

Obesity Management

Obesity and Blood Pressure

Obesity and Diabetes

Obesity and Cancer

Obesity and Depression

Obesity and Autism

See more featured articles »

Obesity and Sleep

Obesity and Hormones

Obesity and Genetics

Obesity in Adults

Obesity in Pregnancy

Obesity and Infertility

Obesity and Sexual Health

Obesity and Stress

Obesity and Fractures

Obesity and Arthritis

Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity Epidemiology

What is Obesity Paradox?

Obesity and Periodontitis

Obesity in Children

Obesity and Respiratory Disorders

Obesity and Heart Disease

Obesity and Anesthesia

Obesity and Skin Problems

Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated Gene (FTO)

What does Sleeve Gastrectomy Involve?

Dieting for Obese Children

Abdominal Obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome

Why is Visceral Fat Dangerous?

Latest Obesity News and Research

Cardiovascular deaths surge among less educated Americans

About 525,000 more deaths occurred among US adults in 2023 than would be expected had pre-2010 mortality trends continued. More than 90 percent of these deaths occurred among individuals without a Bachelor's degree and were largely caused by cardiovascular diseases, underscoring how educational attainment can influence individuals' health opportunities and outcomes.

14 Jun 2025

Doctors call on FIFA to drop sugary drink sponsors

Football's governing body FIFA should drop Coca-Cola as sponsors of the 2025 Club World Cup which begins this week, urge doctors in The BMJ today.

14 Jun 2025

New data reveals insights into cancer and cardiovascular safety of JAK inhibitors

Now, the work presented at the 2025 annual EULAR congress in Barcelona adds two important pieces to the puzzle.

12 Jun 2025

Why choosing different foods each day could lower your diabetes risk

A large European study found that consuming a greater variety of plant-based proteins, vegetables, and major food groups is linked to a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The protective effect was strongest in women and individuals without central obesity.

11 Jun 2025

Memory neurons in rats may explain why forgetting meals leads to overeating

Researchers identify "meal memory" neurons in laboratory rats that could explain why forgetting lunch leads to overeating.

11 Jun 2025

Waist-to-height ratio found to predict liver damage better than BMI

Excess fat mass estimated by waist circumference-to-height ratio predicts the risk of liver damage better than body mass index (BMI) estimated obesity, a new study shows.

11 Jun 2025

Smelling food triggers fullness through newly found brain pathway

No more hunger after cooking? A newly identified network of nerve cells is responsible, a research group at the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research has discovered in mice.

11 Jun 2025

AMA endorses resolution to expand access to anti-obesity medications

The American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates today passed the Endocrine Society's resolution to improve access to anti-obesity medications.

11 Jun 2025

Tufts researchers design new generation of weight loss medications

Weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are used by over 15 million adults in the U.S., or 4.5% of the population. Despite their effectiveness, they have drawbacks.

11 Jun 2025

Chromium-rich fiber supplement keeps you fuller and reduces insulin spikes

A single dose of a chromium-enriched glucomannan-fructo-oligosaccharide fiber complex significantly reduced postprandial insulin and increased fullness in healthy adults, without affecting blood glucose. These findings highlight the potential of this functional fiber blend to support appetite control and metabolic health.

10 Jun 2025

Weight loss drug semaglutide proven safe and effective for people with schizophrenia

Diabetic weight loss medications are effective for people with schizophrenia without affecting psychotic symptoms, University of Queensland researchers have found.

10 Jun 2025

Real-world study finds lower weight loss with GLP-1 drugs due to early discontinuation

A Cleveland Clinic study shows that semaglutide and tirzepatide – injectable GLP-1 drugs for obesity – produce smaller weight loss in a real-world setting because patients discontinue treatment or use lower maintenance dosages.

10 Jun 2025

New guideline puts lifestyle interventions at the forefront of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes care

The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) has published the first clinical practice guideline to put lifestyle interventions at the forefront of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes care.

10 Jun 2025

What researchers found when they compared food labels in 17 countries

New research uncovers how hyper-palatable foods saturate the US food supply and highlights urgent public health challenges posed by engineered foods worldwide.

9 Jun 2025

What happens to your body and mind during a five-day water fast?

A five-day water-only fast led to significant weight, fat, and lean muscle loss in middle-aged women, along with improved mood and marked changes in metabolic and inflammatory markers. The study also found that psychological traits like emotional intelligence and impulsivity influenced the amount of fat and muscle lost during fasting.

9 Jun 2025

Accelerated biological aging found in children with multiple sclerosis

Researchers from University of California San Diego School of Medicine have discovered that children living with multiple sclerosis (MS) show signs of accelerated biological aging, even in their teenage years.

9 Jun 2025

New study warns of long-term risks from fecal microbiota transplants

Fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) have been touted as a potential treatment for a variety of conditions, from inflammatory bowel diseases, obesity, and type 2 diabetes to autism.

6 Jun 2025

Rising liver disease cases demand immediate attention

During the first meeting of the Global Think-tank on Steatotic Liver Disease, supported by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) and held in the Palau Macaya of Barcelona on 5–6 June, more than 100 international experts issued a stark warning: millions of people will continue to go unseen by healthcare systems unless early detection and person-centred care for liver disease are prioritized without delay.

6 Jun 2025

Older adults with obesity face barriers and stigma in social care

A new study has found that older adults living with obesity can feel judged or dismissed by care providers due to their weight, leading to a reluctance to seek help.

6 Jun 2025

Pennington Biomedical’s Greaux Healthy initiative launches to improve child health in Louisiana

Pennington Biomedical Research Center publicly introduced its Greaux Healthy initiative, a public service initiative designed to help improve Louisiana kids' health at every age, during the weekly Red Stick Farmer's Market on Thursday.

6 Jun 2025