England’s Chief Medical Officer, Chris Whitty, has warned that relying on weight-loss medications such as Wegovy and Mounjaro to address obesity would represent both a societal and medical failure.

Medications used to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes could play a role in reducing addiction to alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs, according to new research.

An educational conference uniting cardiovascular, renal and metabolic care has strengthened its leadership team, reinforcing its commitment to delivering a new era of “smart healthcare”.

A major new global report has warned that the World Obesity Federation predicts a sharp rise in childhood obesity over the next 15 years, with the UK already ranking among the worst in Europe.

Entering adulthood at a healthy weight could significantly reduce the risk of dying early from heart disease, cancer and respiratory illness, according to new international research.

Eleanor Cross Healthcare in Northampton has secured funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Capital Investment Programme to establish a dedicated primary care research clinic and laboratory at Whitefields Surgery in Camp Hill.

A new international study published in The Lancet has found that the once-daily oral weight-loss medication orforglipron may offer significant benefits for people living with type 2 diabetes, with researchers describing the results as an “important advancement” in treatment.

GP practices in England will receive new financial incentives from April to support the prescribing of NHS-approved weight-loss injections, under changes to the national GP contract.

A new evidence review has found that intermittent fasting is unlikely to deliver better weight loss or quality of life outcomes than standard dietary advice for adults living with overweight or obesity.

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered that a crucial developmental process in the brain’s hypothalamus may influence how susceptible individuals are to gaining weight.

Healthier feeding practices in the first year of life may help reduce a child’s risk of obesity by primary school age, according to new research from Iceland – although experts stress that obesity risk is shaped by many factors beyond infancy.

Novo Nordisk has reported late-stage trial results showing that its new combination weight-loss drug, CagriSema, led to greater weight loss and improved blood sugar control than semaglutide (Wegovy) alone in adults living with type 2 diabetes.

New research suggests that obesity significantly increases the risk of severe illness and death from infectious diseases, with more than one in 10 infection-related deaths worldwide potentially linked to excess weight.

The chief executive of Greggs has said there is “no doubt” that the growing use of weight loss drugs is changing how people eat, with customers increasingly opting for smaller portions and healthier food choices.

The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has warned that obesity among women of childbearing age is an urgent and growing public health concern, calling for coordinated action to reduce preventable risks to women and babies.

A large real-world study published in JAMA Network Open has found that both bariatric surgery and newer GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines lead to significant fat loss over two years, although bariatric surgery produces greater overall changes in body composition.

Researchers have quantified the role of obesity in common long-term conditions, showing for the first time the effect of losing weight in preventing multiple diseases.  

A large UK study involving more than 27,000 adults has found that poor-quality and short sleep are strongly linked to eating behaviours associated with increased obesity risk, including comfort eating, snacking on sweets and overeating.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on countries to strengthen healthy eating in schools, warning that school food environments play a critical role in shaping children’s lifelong dietary habits and health.

Roche has announced promising results from a mid-stage clinical trial of its experimental obesity treatment, CT-388, as the company looks to strengthen its position in an increasingly competitive obesity medicines market.