Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

Better blood pressure control could prevent over 518,000 annual deaths worldwide

Effective management of high blood pressure could prevent more than 518,000 annual deaths from cardiovascular disease around the world, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2026.

11 Oct 2026

Stopping GLP-1 drugs often brings weight back. A small trial suggests ways to slow it

In a randomized pilot trial of 39 adults, researchers found that participants receiving medically tailored meals or Noom regained about 3.6% of their body weight over four months after stopping GLP-1 therapy, compared with about 11% under usual care. These exploratory findings suggest structured support may slow early weight regain, but the small sample and short follow-up leave lasting benefits uncertain.

11 Oct 2026

Cutting sugary drinks helps reduce childhood obesity, study finds

While the adult obesity rate appears to be slowing in the United States, childhood obesity remains historically high, affecting nearly 1 in 5 school-aged children.

9 Oct 2026

Masked high blood pressure linked to higher risk of falls in older adults

Masked high blood pressure in adults older than age 78 is associated with a 70% higher risk of falls compared to high blood pressure readings in the office and at home among peers, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2026.

9 Oct 2026

Late-night snacking may affect liver health

New research led by Oregon Health & Science University suggests you should think twice about indulging in a late-night snack if you'd like to preserve liver health.

9 Oct 2026

Body fat distribution may influence hunger hormones more than daily diet

Body fat distribution may reveal more about hunger hormones than recent diet.

9 Oct 2026

Longer sleep duration linked to diabetic kidney disease risk

People with type 2 diabetes who sleep longer may have an increased risk of developing or worsening existing diabetic kidney disease, according to a study published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

8 Oct 2026

Expert consensus statement outlines shared medical appointments to improve chronic disease care

The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) has published an expert consensus statement identifying best practices for delivering lifestyle interventions through shared medical appointments (SMAs), a care model that combines individualized medical care with group support.

8 Oct 2026

Excess adiposity may alter the immune environment of airways to promote lung cancer

In a recent study of more than a thousand individuals, greater adiposity, or excessive body fat or fatty tissue, specifically in the abdomen, was associated with lung cancer.

8 Oct 2026

Potassium-rich DASH diet does not cause hyperkalemia in individuals taking blood pressure drugs

Increased consumption of potassium-rich foods that are part of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet did not raise blood potassium to dangerous levels in people taking medications to lower their blood pressure, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2026.

8 Oct 2026

A study spanning 118 countries reveals a divide in pain and aging

Global pain trajectories indicate that while some pain types peak early, musculoskeletal pain increases with age, challenging aging assumptions.

8 Oct 2026

Nutritionally similar meals might not affect your body the same way

Ultra-processed foods trigger distinct metabolic and brain responses, influencing insulin release and nutrient processing despite similar nutritional content.

8 Oct 2026

Ancient gut microbes migrated with humans across the globe

As waves of humans left Africa tens of thousands of years ago, eventually populating the entire planet, they were joined on their world-conquering ride by the trillions of microorganisms that compose the gut microbiome.

7 Oct 2026

Structured support may slow weight regain after stopping GLP-1 drugs

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are effective treatments for obesity, but discontinuation is common due to cost, insurance coverage limitations, side effects, patient preference, and other factors-commonly leading to rapid weight regain.

7 Oct 2026

High-fiber diet beats metformin for blood sugar and weight in trial

High-fiber diet improves blood sugar and weight more than metformin in a small diabetes trial.

7 Oct 2026

New global definition changes how childhood obesity is identified

A new global definition of clinical obesity classifies far fewer children as obese than the widely used body mass index (BMI), according to a large international study. And the findings could lead to changes to how childhood obesity is identified and managed.

6 Oct 2026

SGLT2 inhibitors reduce inflammatory cells linked to heart disease

For the first time in a human trial, a class of drugs known as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, already known for their weight loss and glucose lowering benefits, has been shown to also reduce inflammatory cells in the blood known to cause cardiovascular disease.

6 Oct 2026

Overweight dementia patients likely to live longer than normal weight peers

People who are overweight or obese when they are diagnosed with dementia are likely to live longer than those in a normal weight range, according to a new study by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and NYU School of Global Public Health.

6 Oct 2026

Nearly 3 in 4 US comfort foods share a surprising nutritional feature

Research on comfort foods in the US shows a dominance of ultra-processed items, raising concerns about nutrition and health implications of comfort eating.

6 Oct 2026

Short bursts of exercise may improve fitness and blood sugar in sedentary adults

A systematic review and meta-analysis of 22 studies involving 994 sedentary or inactive adults found that brief “exercise snacks” were associated with improvements in VO₂peak, blood glucose, and triglycerides.

6 Oct 2026