Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

Obesity and cognition: Surprising study links higher BMI to better memory

Higher BMI in early adulthood and midlife is linked to better memory performance, particularly in men and Black Americans, challenging traditional views on obesity and cognition.

16 Feb 2025

Diabetes drugs may boost brain health but experts warn of risks

Researchers reviewed 374 studies to explore how GLP-1RAs, originally for diabetes, may impact brain health, finding potential benefits for dementia and addiction but inconsistent results for mood disorders.

16 Feb 2025

Study reveals key role of opsin 3 in regulating food intake and energy balance

Scientists discovered years ago that the hypothalamus - which helps to manage body temperature, hunger, sex drive, sleep and more - includes neurons that express the protein opsin 3 (OPN3).

14 Feb 2025

Brain's opiate pathway triggers dessert cravings even after fullness

Who hasn't been there? The big meal is over, you're full, but the craving for sweets remains. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research in Cologne have now discovered that what we call the "dessert stomach" is rooted in the brain.

14 Feb 2025

New discovery on mitochondrial protein could transform Charcot-Marie-Tooth treatment

Researchers from Cologne, Bochum, Padova and Angers have discovered a novel connection between mitochondrial function, protein quality control and cellular health, whose failure could be the leading cause in the currently incurable neurological disease Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT).

14 Feb 2025

Study reveals drastic variations in U.S. health care spending across counties

Researchers present the most comprehensive study on U.S. health care spending and variations across 3,110 counties by four payers, 148 health conditions, 38 age/sex groups, and seven types of care.

14 Feb 2025

Atherosclerosis detection in lung cancer patients through CT scans

Several cardiovascular risk factors, such as advanced age and smoking history, are prevalent among lung cancer patients at the time of the diagnosis and increase their risk of future heart disease, according to a new study being presented at ACC's Advancing the Cardiovascular Care of the Oncology Patient course.

14 Feb 2025

Evidence increasingly links ultra-processed food consumption to weight gain

Research shows that promoting fruits and vegetables isn't enough to combat weight gain, highlighting the significant role of ultra-processed foods in obesity.

14 Feb 2025

Rethinking red meat: Are dietary guidelines missing the bigger picture?

Research highlights the critical role of red meat in providing essential nutrients like iron, zinc, and B12, particularly for vulnerable populations, while questioning the low-certainty evidence linking it to chronic diseases. It urges policymakers to balance health, environmental, and economic factors when considering dietary guidelines.

13 Feb 2025

Online weight management program helps rural residents lose weight

People living in rural areas are at greater risk for obesity than the general population, and they often have limited access to healthy, affordable food, physical activity facilities, public transportation, and health care institutions.

13 Feb 2025

Gut bacteria could one day serve as microscopic in-house pharmacists

Hundreds of different species of microbes live, laugh, and love in your gut. In the future, one of these might serve a new function: microscopic in-house pharmacist.

13 Feb 2025

Low-dose semaglutide reduces alcohol consumption and cravings in early trial

Research reveals semaglutide's effectiveness in decreasing alcohol consumption and cravings, highlighting its potential for treating alcohol use disorder.

13 Feb 2025

Study identifies vitamin E succinate as key to tumor growth control

High levels of fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) have been linked to increased tumor growth and resistance to immunotherapy.

12 Feb 2025

Study connects loneliness and social isolation to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease risk

Loneliness and social isolation have been linked to an elevated risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), according to a groundbreaking study conducted by researchers from Central South University and the Army Medical University in China, in collaboration with the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden.

12 Feb 2025

Could a common sugar in processed foods be fueling childhood liver disease?

Researchers found that high fructose intake, especially from processed foods, is linked to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in children with obesity, with potential misreporting of sugary food sources.

12 Feb 2025

Blockbuster drug for diabetes and obesity could also help reduce alcohol intake

The blockbuster drug semaglutide, better known as Ozempic for diabetes and Wegovy for obesity, could also help people cut down on their alcohol intake, according to new USC research.

12 Feb 2025

Changing menu layouts could help teens make healthier food choices

New research from the University of Birmingham and Aston University has found that putting lower-calorie meal choices at the top of a restaurant menu, and reducing the availability of high-calorie options, makes teenagers more likely to order the healthier options.

12 Feb 2025

New study reveals changing BMI patterns in children

A recently published LongITools study led by the University of Oulu identified two new childhood BMI patterns, challenging the traditional view of weight status.

12 Feb 2025

Women prefer female cardiologists for better heart care

According to the U.S. Physician Workforce Data Dashboard, only about 17% of cardiologists are women, ranking as one of the lowest specialties among female physicians, yet heart disease remains the number one killer of women, accounting for one in five female deaths.

12 Feb 2025

Insilico Medicine announces preclinical drug discovery benchmarks from 2021 to 2024

Insilico Medicine ( "Insilico") , a clinical stage generative artificial intelligence (AI)-driven biotechnology company today announced a set of preclinical drug discovery benchmarks from the 22 developmental candidate nominations achieved by its platform from 2021 to 2024.

11 Feb 2025