Obesity

Brazil's Anvisa approved on Monday, February 2, 2026, the expansion of therapeutic indications for semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic. Wegovy can now be used to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes in adults with cardiovascular disease and overweight, while Ozempic is indicated for type 2 diabetes associated with chronic kidney disease. The agency is also reviewing a request for an oral version of Wegovy.

27 Mwezi wa kwanza, 2026 Imeripotiwa na AI

A new genetic study indicates that obesity and high blood pressure directly contribute to dementia, beyond merely raising its risk. Researchers from Denmark and the U.K. used advanced methods to establish this causal link, emphasizing prevention through weight and blood pressure management. The findings suggest early interventions could avert vascular-related dementia.

A new study challenges the hype around intermittent fasting, finding that limiting eating to an eight-hour window does not improve metabolic health if calorie intake remains the same. Researchers from German institutions observed shifts in the body's internal clocks but no changes in insulin sensitivity or cardiovascular markers. The results suggest that calorie control, rather than meal timing alone, drives potential health gains.

1 Mwezi wa kwanza, 2026 Imeripotiwa na AI Imethibitishwa ukweli

A proposed update to how obesity is defined—combining body mass index with measures of abdominal fat—would raise the share of U.S. adults classified as having obesity from about 43% to roughly 69%, according to a Mass General Brigham analysis of more than 300,000 participants in the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program.

A Virginia Tech study finds that ultra-processed diets may prompt 18- to 21-year-olds to eat more and snack when they are not hungry, while slightly older young adults do not show the same pattern. After two weeks on an ultra-processed diet, younger participants consumed more at a buffet meal and were more likely to keep eating despite reporting no hunger, suggesting a period of heightened vulnerability in late adolescence.

10 Mwezi wa kumi na mbili, 2025 Imeripotiwa na AI Imethibitishwa ukweli

New research finds that blood biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s disease increase significantly faster in people with obesity than in those without. Drawing on five years of data from 407 volunteers, the study suggests that blood tests can detect obesity‑related changes earlier than brain scans, underscoring obesity as a major modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer’s.