Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

Gestational diabetes cases surge across England, raising health concerns

One in eight mothers in England is now diagnosed with gestational diabetes, with diagnoses rising by 60 per cent in just five years, according to a major study.

3 Aug 2026

First consensus guidelines outline GLP-1 medication use during pregnancy

As the use of GLP-1 and other incretin-based medications for obesity continues to grow worldwide, researchers at Marshall University have contributed to an international effort to address one of medicine's most pressing unanswered questions: How should these medications be used by women before, during and after pregnancy?

3 Aug 2026

Daily tomatoes lowered a key marker of liver fat in MASLD trial

An exploratory randomized trial found that 200 g of raw tomatoes plus 50 g of tomato sauce daily for six weeks produced a greater reduction in CAP-defined hepatic steatosis than a tomato-free diet in adults with MASLD. The improvement occurred without major weight or metabolic changes, but larger and longer trials are needed to confirm its clinical significance.

2 Aug 2026

Traditional Japanese medicine for obesity may help reduce age-related tissue fibrosis

A traditional Japanese medicine used for obesity may do more than support weight loss. Researchers at the University of Osaka, working with Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. investigated whether Bofutsushosan could protect aging tissues from fibrosis - the excessive buildup of scar-like tissue that can make organs stiff and less functional.

2 Aug 2026

Study links higher body fat to lower sperm counts despite normal BMI

Among 1,058 Danish men, higher body fat percentage was associated with lower total sperm count and altered reproductive hormone levels, but not testicular volume. Body fat percentage showed stronger links with several semen measures than BMI or waist-to-height ratio, with the sperm-count association strengthening among men with normal BMI.

2 Aug 2026

AI-powered blood test detects liver cancer across distinct populations

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center validated an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered blood test that accurately detected liver cancer in people from two geographically and biologically distinct populations and also uncovered the underlying biological signals that make the test effective.

31 Jul 2026

Consuming less protein could have greater health benefits and extend lifespan

Protein-fortified foods are popping up everywhere, from cereal and coffee to even protein water. But a new review covering over 350 papers on protein restriction and aging-publishing July 31 in the Cell Press journal Cell Press Blue-suggests that consuming less protein could have greater health benefits and could, in some cases, extend lifespan.

31 Jul 2026

Researchers propose new framework to define clinical obesity

A new approach to defining obesity could help physicians better determine which patients need more intensive treatment by focusing on the effects of excess adiposity on organs and tissues rather than relying primarily on whether a person meets a set of metabolic risk thresholds.

31 Jul 2026

Ten-million-person study links semaglutide to lower COVID-19 mortality

Researchers analyzing claims from more than 10.1 million commercial insurance and Medicare Advantage enrollees found that semaglutide use was associated with a 49% lower adjusted hazard of COVID-19-related death. The observational findings corroborate earlier SELECT trial results but do not establish causation, making further prospective research essential.

30 Jul 2026

Insilico unveils standardized evaluation framework to validate AI-driven drug discovery models

As general-purpose and domain-specific AI models rapidly infiltrate drug discovery, one critical question looms over the pharmaceutical sector: Can these models actually discover drugs, or are they just good at taking tests?

30 Jul 2026

Jet lag may disrupt athletes' gut microbiome and slow recovery

The interplay between jet lag and gut microbiome affects athlete performance. Strategies to manage these disruptions are crucial but not yet fully established.

30 Jul 2026

England sees rising hospital admissions for ectopic pregnancy since 2021

University of Liverpool researchers have identified that hospital admissions in England for ectopic pregnancy (when a fertilized egg implants outside the womb) have been increasing since 2021, with more than twice as many admissions of women from most deprived areas than the least deprived areas.

29 Jul 2026

Body fat percentage predicts male fertility better than BMI

A man's body fat percentage may be a better indicator of his reproductive health than body mass index (BMI) according to a large study of over 1000 Danish men.

29 Jul 2026

ACLM launches Project Remission to shift the goal of chronic disease care

The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) today announced the launch of Project Remission, a call to action to shift the goal of chronic disease care from symptom management to the possibility of achieving remission and health restoration.

29 Jul 2026

FDA grants fast track designation to Insilico's AI-designed mesothelioma drug candidate

Insilico Medicine ("Insilico"; HKEX: 3696), a clinical-stage generative artificial intelligence (AI)-driven drug discovery company, today announced that ISM6331, a novel, potential best-in-class pan-TEAD inhibitor driven by Insilico's proprietary AI, has received Fast Track Designation (FTD) from the U.S.

29 Jul 2026

AI model accurately predicts how effectively the heart pumps blood

Cardiovascular disease is becoming increasingly common in young people aged 20 to 29, according to the World Health Organization, due to the rise in metabolic conditions such as obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes among young populations worldwide.

29 Jul 2026

THC and CBD combination rapidly reduces advanced dementia agitation

A combination of CBD and THC rapidly and significantly reduces agitation in hospice-eligible people with dementia, suggest topline results from the Phase 2 LiBBY (Life's End Benefits of cannaBidiol and tetrahYdrocannabinol) clinical trial.

28 Jul 2026

Taste preference genes drive overeating and metabolic disease risk

Ever wonder why some people crave sweets while others can take them or leave them? Preliminary findings from a new study suggest that people who carry certain genetic variants associated with a preference for sweet or fatty tastes not only tend to eat more of these foods but also have a higher risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes as a result.

27 Jul 2026

Signals traveling from the gut through the vagus nerve help form memories

When French writer Marcel Proust famously recalled his childhood from the taste of a Madeline cookie, his stomach may have done some of the work.

27 Jul 2026

Primary care practices successfully deliver family-based childhood obesity treatment

Childhood obesity affects one in five children in the U.S., yet most families have limited access to specialized weight-management programs for children.

27 Jul 2026