New! Sign up for our free email newsletter.
Reference Terms
from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Obesity

Obesity is a condition in which the natural energy reserve, stored in the fatty tissue of humans and other mammals, is increased to a point where it is a risk factor for certain health conditions or increased mortality. Obesity develops from the interaction of individual biology and the environment. Excessive body weight has been shown to predispose to various diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus type 2, sleep apnea, and osteoarthritis. Obesity is both an individual clinical condition and is increasingly viewed as a serious public health problem. In the clinical setting, obesity is typically evaluated by measuring BMI (body mass index), waist circumference, and evaluating the presence of risk factors and comorbidities.

Related Stories
 


Health & Medicine News

May 19, 2026

Scientists have identified a protein that appears to put the brakes on the chronic inflammation linked to aging. Older mice with boosted levels of the protein were stronger, more energetic, and had healthier bones than untreated mice. Researchers ...
People who lost significant weight while taking Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Saxenda had sharply lower risks of major obesity-related health problems, including sleep apnea and kidney disease. Those who gained weight instead faced higher risks — ...
A large European study revealed that a lower-calorie Mediterranean diet paired with exercise and coaching dramatically reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes. Participants who made these lifestyle ...
Scientists have uncovered a hidden “sugar code” on the surface of human cells that could transform how diseases are detected. Using an advanced imaging technique called Glycan Atlasing, researchers at the Max Planck Institute mapped the tiny ...
Scientists discovered that eating grapes can actually change how your skin behaves at the genetic level. After just two weeks of daily grape consumption, volunteers showed signs of improved skin protection and reduced oxidative stress from UV ...
Scientists in South Korea have discovered that a probiotic bacterium found in kimchi may help the body flush out tiny plastic particles before they can build up in organs. In lab tests, the kimchi-derived microbe clung tightly to nanoplastics even ...
Coffee may give your blood pressure a temporary jolt, but that doesn’t mean it’s secretly wrecking your heart. Researchers say caffeine can briefly raise blood pressure by stimulating your heart and tightening blood vessels, especially in people ...
Studies suggest watermelon could be a hidden powerhouse for better health. Researchers found that people who eat watermelon tend to have higher-quality diets packed with more vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants — while consuming less added sugar and ...
Scientists have discovered that the human body undergoes a dramatic internal transformation during extended fasting, with major changes appearing only after about three days without food. In a seven-day water-only fasting study, researchers tracked ...
A new nanotechnology treatment reversed Alzheimer’s symptoms in mice by restoring the brain’s natural cleanup system. The specially engineered nanoparticles helped clear toxic amyloid proteins from the brain and repair the blood-brain barrier, ...
For years, “yo-yo dieting” has been blamed for wrecking metabolism and causing lasting damage, but a major new review says the fear may be wildly overblown. After analyzing decades of studies in humans and animals, researchers found little ...
Scientists have uncovered a surprising new trick used by one of cancer’s most notorious proteins. MYC, already infamous for fueling runaway tumor growth, also appears to help cancer cells survive by repairing their damaged DNA — including damage ...

Latest Headlines

updated 12:56 pm ET