Fixing the global childhood obesity epidemic begins with making healthy choices the easier choices – and that requires new laws and policies

The global childhood obesity epidemic has exploded. Over the past four decades, the world has witnessed a tenfold increase in obesity in children and adolescents between 5 and 19 years…

Global diabetes cases on pace to soar to 1.3 billion people in the next 3 decades, new study finds

The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big idea The number of people living with diabetes worldwide is on pace to more than double in…

Exercise may or may not help you lose weight and keep it off – here’s the evidence for both sides of the debate

The global fitness industry will generate over US$80 billion in revenue in 2023, estimates suggest. And why not, given the many excellent reasons to exercise? Better cardiovascular health, lower risk…

Curing America’s loneliness epidemic would make us healthier, fitter and less likely to abuse drugs

A national health advisory issued by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy on May 3, 2023, sheds light on the urgent public health issues of loneliness and isolation. The report reflects…

Obesity Alters Brain’s Response to Food Cues

Summary: New research using molecular imaging with 18F-flubatine PET/MRI shows a distinct response to food cues in the brains of obese individuals compared to those of normal-weight individuals. The study…

BMI alone will no longer be treated as the go-to measure for weight management – an obesity medicine physician explains the seismic shift taking place

Amid the buzz around weight loss drugs and rising rates of obesity worldwide, many health care professionals are questioning one of the key measures that has long been used to…

WHO’s recommendation against the use of artificial sweeteners for weight loss leaves many questions unanswered

Do low-calorie sweeteners help with weight management? And are they safe for long-term use? This is among the most controversial topics in nutritional science. In early May 2023, the World…

Drugs that melt away pounds still present more questions than answers, but Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro could be key tools in reducing the obesity epidemic

In the past five years, several new drugs have been brought to market that could lead to a profound, if not revolutionary, change in how health care providers – and…

Obesity in children is rising dramatically, and it comes with major – and sometimes lifelong – health consequences

In the past two decades, children have become more obese and have developed obesity at a younger age. A 2020 report found that 14.7 million children and adolescents in the…