https://medicalxpress.com/overweight-obesity-news/ en-us Latest health news and information about Weight Management Bread is one of our staple foods, but these days it is also one of the most divisive: some people eat it with everything, while others see it only as a source of carbohydrates and fear it will make them gain weight. According to Adrienn Szabó, it is worth clarifying, first of all, that from an energy perspective, carbohydrates are essential for humans; according to international recommendations, it is best if the largest proportion of our daily energy needs (40% to 60%) comes from carbohydrates. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-bread-day-grain-dietitian.html Fri, 28 Aug 2026 14:00:01 EDT news707141941 A diet that severely limits carbohydrates but is high in fat has the greatest health benefits for people with obesity compared with a Mediterranean diet or a low-fat diet, according to a clinical trial published Aug. 27 in the journal Cell Metabolism. After following a ketogenic (or "Keto") diet for four to five months, about 50% of a group of participants with obesity and prediabetes no longer met the criteria for prediabetes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-keto-diet-greater-health-benefits.html Thu, 27 Aug 2026 11:00:03 EDT news707045101 Kentucky has one of the highest childhood obesity rates in the country, and the health consequences carry forward throughout life. That's one of the reasons researchers at the University of Kentucky are leading a groundbreaking clinical trial to determine whether medical intervention can reverse the early signs of heart disease in children struggling with severe obesity. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-childhood-obesity-semaglutide-adolescents.html Thu, 27 Aug 2026 08:00:04 EDT news707029502 Patients with extreme obesity are more common among those undergoing metabolic and bariatric surgery than previously recognized, and although they face a greater burden of certain health conditions and surgical complications, their overall surgical risk remains relatively low, according to a new study led by researchers at LSU's Pennington Biomedical Research Center. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-extreme-obesity-common-bariatric-surgery.html Wed, 26 Aug 2026 15:00:08 EDT news706966950 A new study has identified why many men struggle with weight loss, finding that traditional diet programs are often perceived as too restrictive and primarily aimed at women. The research, published in PLOS One and led by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in England, is the first academic study to investigate men's motivation for losing weight, their personal experiences and the weight-loss approaches they find most appealing. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-men-struggle-weight-loss.html Wed, 26 Aug 2026 14:00:28 EDT news706959181 About 1 in 5 American adults have taken a GLP-1 medication, and most of them, including those with health insurance, say the drugs are difficult to afford. Federal law has long barred Medicare from covering drugs prescribed solely for weight loss, which is why the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program made a big splash when it launched in July. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-medicare-glp-discount-big-sick.html Wed, 26 Aug 2026 10:00:01 EDT news706953861 Obesity and eating disorders have traditionally been treated as separate areas of health care—but the rapid rise of GLP-1 medicines is increasingly bringing the two together. Adelaide University researchers say the growing use of medicines such as Ozempic and Mounjaro is highlighting an underrecognized overlap between the conditions—and raising important questions about who could benefit and who may be at risk. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-glp-meds-prompt-rethink-obesity.html Wed, 26 Aug 2026 08:20:03 EDT news706946161 Among children and adolescents, a higher body roundness index (BRI) is associated with increased odds of current asthma, according to a study published online Aug. 6 in the Annals of Human Biology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-body-roundness-index-linked-odds.html Tue, 25 Aug 2026 22:00:01 EDT news706859652 The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense (VA/DoD) updated their obesity management guideline in 2025 to reflect advances in obesity assessment and treatments. The guideline emphasizes assessing health risks beyond body mass index (BMI) alone, using comprehensive lifestyle intervention as the foundation of care, and flexibly integrating medications, including GLP-1 therapies, as well as endoscopic and surgical options when appropriate. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-obesity-guideline-personalized-effective-weight.html Mon, 24 Aug 2026 17:00:07 EDT news706777161 To lose weight, most of us know that it is a matter of eating less and being more physically active. By putting our bodies into a calorie deficit, we "burn" more calories than we're taking in—and so we lose weight. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-fat-weight.html Mon, 24 Aug 2026 13:40:01 EDT news706793042 Obesity doesn't look the same at age 15 as it does at age 45, and Duke University School of Medicine researchers are learning why. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation showed teenagers retain a degree of metabolic flexibility that's largely lost in adulthood. The study suggests that the way teenage bodies respond to excess weight is fundamentally different and potentially more reversible. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-obesity-adolescence-reversible-previously-thought.html Mon, 24 Aug 2026 13:20:09 EDT news706792201 Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA), commonly used to treat diabetes and weight loss, may have additional mental health benefits, especially for people with bipolar disorder, new Griffith University research has found. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-weight-loss-drugs-avenue-bipolar.html Mon, 24 Aug 2026 08:40:05 EDT news706773301 Research published in Diabetologia by Amsterdam UMC and the University of Ghana reveals that type 2 diabetes manifests in two fundamentally different ways depending on a patient's body mass index (BMI). While type 2 diabetes in patients with a higher BMI is primarily driven by insulin resistance, the study demonstrates that in individuals within a lower BMI range, the condition is caused by the pancreas failing to produce sufficient insulin. Despite these opposing biological mechanisms, medical professionals currently treat both groups with the same medications. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-size-doesnt-diabetes-differently-weight.html Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:00:01 EDT news706526221 Imagine the body's immune cells as a neighborhood cleanup crew. When all is healthy, macrophages roam tissues, clearing away cellular debris and helping maintain order. But obesity can turn these normally protective cells into drivers of chronic inflammation and metabolic disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-macrophage-molecular-scissors-obesity-linked.html Sun, 23 Aug 2026 10:20:01 EDT news706201640 Cottage cheese is having a moment. It's being added to dips, mixed into batters and even used in pizza and brownies. It's touted as a high-protein food that can help people build muscle and lose fat. But the research supporting these benefits is not quite as abundant as the number of viral cottage cheese recipes out there. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-cottage-cheese-evidence-health-didnt.html Sat, 22 Aug 2026 19:30:01 EDT news706535290 Over the past five years, medications called GLP-1s have revolutionized the treatment of metabolic disorders like obesity, diabetes and fatty liver disease. Sold under the brand names Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound, these drugs are highly effective at helping people lose weight and manage their blood sugar levels. However, they do come with some risks. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-weight-loss-diabetes-treatment-fat.html Fri, 21 Aug 2026 14:00:09 EDT news706527422 Growing up, my brothers were fascinated by the first "Rocky" movie. They were trying to get stronger and excel in sports, so one scene stood out almost as much as Rocky sprinting up the museum steps: Before sunrise, Rocky cracked raw eggs into a glass and drank them. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-protein-breakfast-snacks-wont-muscle.html Fri, 21 Aug 2026 10:00:05 EDT news706522263 Participants who followed a Mediterranean-style plan tailored for the Southeast not only kept weight off but also ate better in ways that may help prevent chronic disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-mediterranean-style-tailored-southeast-weight.html Thu, 20 Aug 2026 13:40:07 EDT news706446421 A Baylor College of Medicine-led team found that moving into a normal weight range was associated with about half the risk of progressing to clinical type 1 diabetes (T1D), particularly in youth. This observational study, published in Diabetes Care, was conducted in individuals with early signs of type 1 diabetes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-healthy-weight-range-linked-diabetes.html Thu, 20 Aug 2026 12:00:02 EDT news706445402 Researchers surveyed 114 sports medicine physicians from 38 countries, covering 93 different sports, to explore their views on athletes' use of GLP-1 drugs. Twelve percent said they were aware of athletes using the medications despite having no medical need for them. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-weight-loss-drugs-elite-sport.html Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:00:06 EDT news706437002 As the government prepares to introduce updated school food standards, an investigation by The BMJ finds that more than a third of the firms exhibiting at the UK's biggest school food show sell products high in fat, sugar or salt (HFSS). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-junk-food-suppliers-major-presence.html Wed, 19 Aug 2026 18:30:01 EDT news706276307 People using weight-loss drugs are more likely to seek advice from social media than health care professionals, a Coventry University–led study has found. Researchers from the U.K. and Canada found that users of GLP-1 medications—weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro that help regulate appetite and blood sugar levels—often rely on social media, online forums, friends and family for information about the drugs. Almost half (48%) of participants said social media was a source of information, while health care professionals were consulted less frequently. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-weight-loss-drug-users-social.html Wed, 19 Aug 2026 09:00:07 EDT news706345741 Talking about weight can be tough. Even someone who feels ready for a doctor's help may find the conversation awkward. People living with excess weight can feel judged, stigmatized or embarrassed, "or maybe they are unaware that their condition is something that needs to be medically treated," said Dr. Deepika Laddu, an associate professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-weight-doctor.html Wed, 19 Aug 2026 08:40:05 EDT news706345442 In a Journal of the American Geriatrics Society analysis of nationally representative data from 6,905 U.S. adults age 65 or older followed from 2011 to 2024, higher body mass index (BMI) was associated with lower mortality risk, whereas higher waist circumference, a marker of abdominal obesity, was independently associated with higher mortality risk after accounting for BMI. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-waist-circumference-bmi-mortality-older.html Wed, 19 Aug 2026 03:00:03 EDT news706193577 When it comes to daily aches and pains, it's not uncommon for knees to be a main source. And while there can be many different long-term causes of such issues, osteoarthritis is often a reason why. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-osteoarthritis.html Tue, 18 Aug 2026 23:00:02 EDT news706258113 While consumers may save a few bucks on groceries at dollar stores, they end up paying a higher price with their health. New UC Riverside research shows a link between dollar store food quality and higher rates of obesity, high blood pressure, cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-hidden-health-dollar-groceries.html Tue, 18 Aug 2026 19:00:04 EDT news706292881 A personalized approach to obesity treatment may help breast cancer survivors improve their long-term health by identifying early which patients need more than behavioral and lifestyle interventions alone, according to a Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center-led clinical trial. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-personalized-weight-loss-breast-cancer.html Tue, 18 Aug 2026 09:20:06 EDT news706259821 Obesity can weaken the immune system's tumor-killing responses in lung cancer, leading to disease progression, but a new study by experts at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center reveals that exercise may reverse this effect. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-obesity-weakens-anti-tumor-immune.html Mon, 17 Aug 2026 12:40:07 EDT news706185962 Charlotte Touzalin was still a young teenager when she began struggling with weight gain, abnormal periods and unwanted facial hair—the same puzzling symptoms that plagued her mom for decades and that no doctor could piece together. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-obesity-drugs-early-hormonal-disorder.html Sun, 16 Aug 2026 15:06:18 EDT news706111545 A good way to follow the health of a nation is to glance at what is known as period life expectancy. This calculates how long a person born today would live if the current death rates remained exactly the same for the rest of their life. This had two major turning points in the UK over the period: a marked slowdown in improvements from around 2011 and a sharp, historically unprecedented fall in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-britain-quarter-century-experts-sex.html Sat, 15 Aug 2026 17:00:01 EDT news705918364