https://medicalxpress.com/overweight-obesity-news/ en-us Latest health news and information about Weight Management Adolescents and young adults in the U.S. are increasingly using popular GLP-1 weight-loss drugs alone or in conjunction with metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) to manage obesity, according to a study by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers published in JAMA Pediatrics. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-glp-rapidly-adolescents-young-adults.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 15:40:06 EDT news703778101 Despite growing evidence that GLP-1 medications improve health and are worth their cost, many insurance plans still limit coverage. University of Mississippi researchers are examining why and where that leaves patients. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-barriers-glp-coverage.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 14:20:03 EDT news703772161 New research being presented at the International Congress on Obesity (ICO2026), hosted by the World Obesity Federation (WOF) in Mexico City, Mexico (15–17 July), shows that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) for weight loss in children of various ages without diabetes are safe and effective. The study is by Dr. Manpreet Kaur Oberoi of the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada, and colleagues. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-ozempic-drugs-safe-effective-children.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 11:20:07 EDT news703759343 From headlines and social media, psychedelic therapies, cannabis use and GLP-1 medications have seemingly become commonplace overnight, but the science underlying these treatments and the pathway to drug approval are often more nuanced than the headlines suggest. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-qa-psychedelics-cannabis-glp-1s.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:40:04 EDT news703753742 Individuals with overweight or obesity can have a higher risk of heart disease despite appearing to be healthy, new research presented at the International Congress on Obesity in Mexico City (15–17 July) shows. Using waist-based measurements along with body mass index (BMI) to identify this hidden risk and intervene early could prevent hundreds of thousands from dying from heart attacks, strokes and other cardiac problems in the years to come, researchers from the University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK, said. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-weight-belly-predictor-heart-health.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 07:40:03 EDT news703747681 New research has found that eating habits that align most closely with a woman's existing routine show promise for losing postpartum baby weight, especially for mothers earlier in the postpartum period. The study identified key factors affecting eating timing and perceived barriers to various chrononutrition approaches, with the ability to share a family evening meal emerging as particularly important. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-chrononutrition-viable-approach-postpartum-weight.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 00:00:04 EDT news703491577 A study of more than 1 million women has found that excessive weight gain during pregnancy is linked to an increased risk of potentially life-threatening complications, regardless of whether starting weights were considered underweight, normal, overweight or obese. The study found that the increased risk was between 16% and 33%, and the highest risk was among those considered underweight at the start of their pregnancy. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-excessive-weight-gain-pregnancy-complications.html Sun, 19 Jul 2026 15:00:05 EDT news703497038 New research presented at this year's International Congress on Obesity (ICO2026), hosted by the World Obesity Federation (WOF) in Mexico City, Mexico (July 15–17), reveals that few of the world's 21 largest food retailers are taking significant voluntary action to create healthier food environments for children and families. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-aussie-supermarkets-healthier-diet.html Fri, 17 Jul 2026 21:40:02 EDT news703500918 The effect of obesity on unemployment is more than twice as large as previously thought, finds a UK Biobank study of genetic evidence. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-obese-unemployed.html Fri, 17 Jul 2026 12:40:01 EDT news703500065 Despite the end of federal shortages of popular GLP-1 weight-loss medications, the market for compounded alternatives remains strong—and some patients may unknowingly be receiving products from pharmacies with concerning regulatory histories, according to new research from the University of Colorado Anschutz. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-medical-spas-pharmacies-compounded-weight.html Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:00:04 EDT news703491325 Body Mass Index (BMI) has long been used in public health and clinical settings as a simple tool to classify an individual's physical status based on their height and weight. Originally developed in the 1830s by Belgian mathematician Adolphe Quetelet, BMI was designed to describe the characteristics of the average man rather than to assess an individual's health, and it did not account for age, sex, ethnicity or body composition. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-body-index-aims-bmi-babies.html Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:50:02 EDT news703491612 Being overweight and obesity may contribute to significantly more cancer cases than previously thought. This is the conclusion reached by researchers at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ). Their analysis shows that when more accurate measures of body fat and methodological biases are considered, more than 10% of all cancer cases can be attributed to increased body weight—nearly twice as many as previous estimates suggested. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-impact-overweight-cancer-significantly-underestimated.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 17:40:04 EDT news703427276 The popularity of GLP-1 drugs has created a new generation of body contouring patients and a new set of challenges for plastic surgeons. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-weight-loss-drugs-pose-plastic.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:00:07 EDT news703425421 Why do some people lose substantial weight with GLP-1-based medications while others see more modest results? A Mayo Clinic study offers a potential answer by identifying a distinct biological subtype of obesity that responds especially well to tirzepatide, a medication that mimics two naturally occurring hormones involved in appetite and blood sugar regulation, moving the field closer to precision medicine for obesity. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-patients-obesity-benefit-glp-based.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 14:40:13 EDT news703423982 The common rationale for drinking water at meals is that it physically stretches the stomach, triggering fullness so you don't eat too much. But a new Cornell study found no support for that idea in practice. The paper is published in the journal Appetite. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-common-diet-intake-spicy-foods.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:20:04 EDT news703407242 As use of GLP-1s surged across the U.S., average total payments per user also climbed sharply, according to a new Northwestern University study that analyzed national trends in GLP-1 use and spending between 2017 and 2022. These total payments included out-of-pocket costs paid by patients as well as payments from insurers, employers and government programs. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-glp-1s-term.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:00:06 EDT news703325800 A meta-analysis of 10 randomized controlled trials involving more than 23,000 participants, presented at the International Congress on Obesity (ICO 2026), hosted by the World Obesity Federation (WOF) in Mexico City, Mexico (July 15–17), shows that the GLP-1 class of obesity drugs is associated with a marked reduction in systemic inflammation beyond its anti-obesity effects, potentially explaining how the drugs can reduce cardiovascular risk factors. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-ozempic-drugs-benefits-body-weight.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:00:04 EDT news703410616 New research presented at the International Congress on Obesity (ICO2026), hosted by the World Obesity Federation (WOF) in Mexico City, Mexico, (15–17 July) asks what is driving the obesity pandemic. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-obesity-pandemic.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:40:04 EDT news703401962 Drugs commonly used for weight loss, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, have been found to reduce the key symptoms of binge eating disorder in a new review of evidence led by University College London (UCL) researchers. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-weight-loss-drugs-binge-disorder.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 18:30:01 EDT news703318431 A new systematic review and meta-analysis presented at the International Congress on Obesity (ICO2026), hosted by the World Obesity Federation (WOF) in Mexico City, Mexico, July 15–17, is the first study to show that behavioral weight loss interventions reduce the risk of obesity-related cancers in people living with overweight and obesity by 15%. The study was conducted by Dr. Matthew Harris and Professor Andrew Renehan of the Manchester Cancer Research Center at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-behavior-aid-weight-loss-linked.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 10:40:04 EDT news703325965 Public interest in obesity medication has risen 25-fold since the launch of GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs, new research presented at the International Congress on Obesity (ICO2026) in Mexico City, Mexico, hosted by the World Obesity Federation (July 15–17) shows. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-internet-weight-loss-medications-glp.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 10:20:01 EDT news703325955 New research being presented at the International Congress on Obesity (ICO2026), hosted by the World Obesity Federation (WOF) in Mexico City, Mexico (July 15–17), reveals how Coca-Cola's sponsorship of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup (featuring 32 of the world's top football clubs) was amplified across social media to promote unhealthy products to millions beyond the live matches, including children and young people. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-coca-cola-sportswashing-world-cup.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 10:00:02 EDT news703325935 One in 10 children ages 7 to 9 is living with obesity in Europe. In England, childhood obesity rises from around 10% of children in Reception to around 22% by Year 6. While we know there are many complex and inter-connected biological, social and environmental causes of childhood obesity, a good start is to tackle it with what we know works: Better diets are linked to better health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-food-skills-school-curriculum-left.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:40:04 EDT news703244161 As a Gen Xer who lived through the "heroin chic" years, when skeletal models were celebrated for jutting bones and sallow skin, the recent popularity of the #Y2KSkinny trend fills me with dread. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-glp1-disclosure-dilemma-date-youre.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 10:00:02 EDT news703236841 A major new international study led by Curtin University has found diabetes risk is about more than body weight or obesity, revealing that muscle health also likely plays a major role in whether people develop the condition. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-muscles-diabetes.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 08:20:15 EDT news703231381 Obesity can act as fuel for leukemia, according to a study led by Indiana University School of Medicine scientists. To help patients facing aggressive blood cancers overcome this metabolic risk, researchers identified a potential treatment strategy that combines popular weight-loss medications with anti-inflammatory drugs. The findings were recently published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-obesity-fuels-leukemia-combo-popular.html Mon, 13 Jul 2026 15:40:01 EDT news703173473 A new study from researchers at LSU's Pennington Biomedical Research Center, FMOL Health | Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center and Metamor Institute demonstrates that metabolic and bariatric surgery can be delivered safely and effectively for adolescents and young adults living with severe obesity, offering promising improvements in weight loss and obesity-related health conditions. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-outcomes-bariatric-surgery-adolescents-young.html Mon, 13 Jul 2026 14:40:07 EDT news703168442 Does informing people about their genetic risk of obesity help them change their habits and lose excess weight? A study published in the journal Obesity Reviews by scientists, including researchers from SWPS University, shows that knowledge about one's genes alone is not enough. Effective behavioral change requires long-term, personalized support. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-knowledge-genes-isnt-people-genetic.html Mon, 13 Jul 2026 09:20:06 EDT news703148871 For generations, early to bed and early to rise was seen as the blueprint for a healthy life, and any departure from it was often considered unhealthy. Scientists, however, have discovered that whether someone is an early bird who wakes up early and starts the day with energy or a night owl who naturally stays up late and wakes up later is far more than a lifestyle choice. This pattern reflects the body's natural preference for the timing of sleep and wake cycles within a 24-hour day. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-night-owls-nutritious-food-belly.html Sun, 12 Jul 2026 11:20:04 EDT news702896030 For many people living with obesity, newer weight-loss medicines such as Wegovy and Mounjaro have been transformative. These drugs are often grouped under the label GLP-1 medicines because they mimic hormones released after eating, helping people feel fuller and less hungry. Mounjaro, whose active ingredient is tirzepatide, also acts on another hormone involved in appetite and blood sugar control. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-weightloss-jabs-kind-yoyo-dieting.html Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:20:07 EDT news702893522