Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

How GLP-1 drugs affect the body beyond weight loss and glucose control

This review evaluates the safety profile of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and related incretin therapies used for obesity and type 2 diabetes. It highlights common gastrointestinal effects, rare but debated risks, and areas where further long-term safety data are still needed.

18 Feb 2026

Lifestyle medicine practice linked to lower clinician burnout

Healthcare professionals report that treating patients with lifestyle medicine helps to reduce burnout by increasing professional satisfaction, meaning, and a sense of effectiveness at work, according to a new study published in BMC Health Services Research.

18 Feb 2026

Undiagnosed diabetes and kidney disease raise heart risk

Diabetes and kidney disease are major risk factors for heart disease, yet many cases are undiagnosed. In addition, a consumer survey done last fall suggests that most people don't realize that their heart, kidney and metabolic health (how the body creates, uses and stores energy) are connected.

18 Feb 2026

Oral weight loss ingredient may have adverse biological effects for the gut and beyond

A new study from Adelaide University is turning a spotlight on those tablet versions, finding that the absorption-enhancing ingredient salcaprozate sodium (SNAC) may have measurable adverse biological effects for the gut and beyond.

17 Feb 2026

Can GLP-1 drugs slow neurodegeneration? New review finds promising signals but limited clinical proof

This review examines how GLP-1 receptor agonists may influence neurodegenerative disease biology through metabolic, inflammatory, mitochondrial, and proteostasis pathways. Evidence from mechanistic, preclinical, and early clinical studies suggests potential neuroprotective effects, but definitive disease-modifying benefit remains unproven.

17 Feb 2026

Short health ads reduce junk food cravings

A new Edith Cowan University (ECU) study has found advertisements that encourage healthy choices can reduce cravings and intentions to consume unhealthy foods, and in some cases a 15-second message may be more effective than traditional 30-second commercials.

17 Feb 2026

Does intermittent fasting help you lose more weight? Evidence review finds no clear advantage

A Cochrane systematic review of 22 randomized trials involving 1,995 adults with overweight or obesity found intermittent fasting produces weight loss comparable to traditional calorie restriction. Evidence suggests little additional benefit for quality of life or adverse effects, with overall certainty ranging from low to moderate and long-term effects still unclear.

17 Feb 2026

Insilico Medicine and MSK collaborate to discover new drug targets for gastroesophageal malignancies

Insilico Medicine ("Insilico", 3696.HK), a clinical-stage generative artificial intelligence (AI)-driven drug discovery company, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) have entered into a collaborative research agreement aimed at discovering new therapeutic targets for gastroesophageal malignancies.

17 Feb 2026

Do cocoa flavanols influence heart and fatty liver risk factors?

A recent Nutrients review examined whether cocoa-rich dark chocolate influences cardiovascular and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease risk factors through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and endothelial effects. Evidence suggests modest improvements in biomarkers, but most data come from short-term studies, so definitive clinical benefits remain unproven.

16 Feb 2026

Chronic inflammation shapes cancer progression and immunotherapy response

Chronic inflammation is both a driver and suppressor of cancer depending on context. Key players-NF-κB, IL-6, STAT3, TAMs, MDSCs, and Tregs-orchestrate a tumor-permissive microenvironment.

16 Feb 2026

Machine learning model demonstrates insulin resistance as a risk factor for 12 types of cancer

Insulin resistance - when the body doesn't properly respond to insulin, a hormone that helps control blood glucose levels - is one of the fundamental causes of diabetes.

16 Feb 2026

Intermittent fasting does not seem to work for overweight or obese adults

Intermittent fasting is unlikely to lead to greater weight loss in overweight or obese adults than traditional dietary advice or doing nothing, a new Cochrane review finds.

16 Feb 2026

High consumption of sugary drinks linked to anxiety symptoms in adolescents

A new study has identified an association between consumption of drinks containing a high amount of sugar and anxiety symptoms in adolescents.

16 Feb 2026

Big breakfast study reveals protein curbs appetite but fiber delivers stronger gut microbiome benefits

A randomized crossover weight loss trial in adults with overweight or obesity found that higher protein big breakfasts improved satiety, while higher fibre breakfasts produced slightly greater weight loss and more favourable gut microbiota markers. Both diets improved metabolic biomarkers, but microbiota changes reflected surrogate gut health indicators rather than direct clinical outcomes.

15 Feb 2026

Obesity sharply increases hospitalisation risk from infections, global analysis shows

Adult obesity is associated with a substantially higher risk of severe hospital-treated or fatal infections across multiple pathogens, with risk increasing as obesity severity rises. Global modelling suggests roughly one in ten infection-related deaths worldwide may be attributable to adult obesity, although causality cannot be confirmed.

15 Feb 2026

Ozempic users continue treatment when weight loss works despite side effects

A study on Ozempic for weight loss reveals user satisfaction is driven by efficacy, despite common gastrointestinal side effects impacting treatment adherence.

13 Feb 2026

Brain circuit links past experiences to appetite control

Our past experiences shape how much we eat and where and what we choose to eat. Using preclinical models, researchers from Mass General Brigham and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard have identified brain cells that translate contextual information into appetite control.

12 Feb 2026

Boosting good immune cells can help fight insulin resistance and diabetes

Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine discovered a surprising new way the body can fight insulin resistance and diabetes – by boosting a special type of "good" immune cell in fat tissue.

12 Feb 2026

Weight loss drug tirzepatide may lower the risk of diabetic retinopathy

The popular diabetes and weight loss medication tirzepatide (brand name Mounjaro or Zepbound) may lower the risk of diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of vision loss, according to Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

11 Feb 2026

Breastfeeding and healthy infant diets may help lower obesity risk by age nine

nationwide Icelandic cohort study found that better alignment with infant nutrition guidelines was associated with lower odds of obesity at ages 6 and 9 years. Associations were inconsistent at younger ages, highlighting the complex and multifactorial nature of childhood weight outcomes.

11 Feb 2026