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

Research reveals genetic connection between obesity in dogs and humans

Researchers studying British Labrador retrievers have identified multiple genes associated with canine obesity and shown that these genes are also associated with obesity in humans.

6 Mar 2025

Study finds link between pregnancy mineral levels and lower blood pressure in midlife

Women with higher levels of essential minerals circulating in their blood during pregnancy, particularly copper and manganese, along with vitamin B12, had a lower risk of developing high blood pressure in middle age, about 20 years later, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology and Prevention | Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2025.

6 Mar 2025

Pacific Islander, Native Hawaiian and Asian American populations show varying heart disease risk factors

Asian American, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander (AANHPI) populations experienced differences in both cardiovascular disease predicted risk and risk factors, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology and Prevention | Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2025.

6 Mar 2025

Lack of sleep and insomnia may raise teenagers’ risk for hypertension

Teenagers who do not get the recommended amount of sleep may be at an increased risk for high blood pressure, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle & Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2025.

6 Mar 2025

Diabetes changes the biology of breast cancer, study shows

More than 120 million Americans suffer from diabetes or pre-diabetes. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive form of breast cancer, and TNBC patients with obesity-driven diabetes often have worse outcomes.

6 Mar 2025

Circadian clocks influence muscle recovery

The body's internal clock doesn't just dictate when we sleep - it also determines how quickly our muscles heal.

6 Mar 2025

Study finds Pacific children struggling with micronutrient intake and obesity

Children ages two to eight years across 11 Pacific jurisdictions (Alaska, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Hawai'i, Marshall Islands, and Palau) are not meeting daily recommended intakes for key micronutrients, either consuming too much or too little.

6 Mar 2025

Naturally occurring molecule suppresses appetite and promotes weight loss

A naturally occurring molecule identified by Stanford Medicine researchers appears similar to semaglutide - also known as Ozempic - in suppressing appetite and reducing body weight.

6 Mar 2025

Carbs aren’t the hunger culprit: New research overturns belief that glycemic index drives overeating

A Cell Metabolism study finds that while high-GI meals spike insulin and glucose, they don’t increase hunger or consistently drive overeating, challenging the carbohydrate-insulin model’s central claims about obesity.

5 Mar 2025

Study shows benefits of GLP-1 drugs for kidney transplant recipients with type 2 diabetes

Kidney transplant recipients with type 2 diabetes treated with a new class of anti-obesity drugs were less likely to experience organ failure and survived longer, a new study shows.

5 Mar 2025

New drug candidate may help combat metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease

A study published in Nature Aging has revealed a promising new drug candidate that may help combat metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), a chronic liver condition that disproportionately affects communities in San Antonio due to high rates of obesity and diabetes.

5 Mar 2025

Surgery first strategy could lead to better weight loss outcomes

Mass General Brigham researchers found that total weight loss did not increase for patients who took semaglutide before having weight loss surgery, suggesting that a surgery first strategy could lead to better outcomes.

5 Mar 2025

Brown fat discovery could revolutionize aging and exercise performance

Rutgers Health researchers have made discoveries about brown fat that may open a new path to helping people stay physically fit as they age.

5 Mar 2025

Melatonin protects skeletal muscle from damage caused by "diabesity"

An international study led by the University of Granada (UGR) has revealed that melatonin, known for its ability to regulate the sleep/wake cycle, can restore the composition of muscle fibers and protect skeletal muscle from damage caused by obesity and type 2 diabetes, known as "diabesity".

5 Mar 2025

Daily mango consumption may improve insulin sensitivity in overweight or obese adults

New research has uncovered a potential gamechanger for improving cardiometabolic health: fresh mangos.

5 Mar 2025

Global trends show sharp increase in osteoarthritis among postmenopausal women

The global number of cases of osteoarthritis, as well the disability associated with the condition, have risen by more than 130% over the past 3 decades among women who have gone through the menopause, indicates a data analysis spanning 1990 to 2021, and published in the open access journal BMJ Global Health.

4 Mar 2025