A new study of identical twins has provided fresh evidence that a vegan diet can vastly improve a person’s heart health.

Twins assigned a vegan diet for two months had significant improvements in cholesterol, insulin and body weight compared to their siblings, who ate a healthy diet that included animal protein.

“Based on these results and thinking about longevity, most of us wo...

Dreary, chilly winter days might cause some year-round runners to think twice about their jog, but recent research suggests the benefits of cold weather running outweigh those of running in warmer conditions.

Specifically, cold weather can help runners burn more bad fat, lose more weight and feel healthier overall.

“Cold weather doesn’t have to force runners indoors and I encour...

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 29, 2023 (Healthday News) -- The diabetes drug Mounjaro prompted more weight loss among overweight and obese adults than Ozempic did in a real-world setting, researchers report.

Both Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and Ozempic (semaglutide) mimic the effects of the gut hormone GLP-1, which triggers insulin production, helps control appetite and slows the movement of food through th...

Middle-aged folks with lots of belly fat surrounding their internal organs appear to be at higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease later in life, a new study suggests.

This hidden abdominal fat -- known as visceral fat -- is related to changes in the brain up to 15 years before the earliest symptoms of Alzheimer’s manifest, according to findings to be presented at next week’s annual mee...

Having high insulin levels may be more than tough to manage when you have diabetes: New research shows it also appears to raise the risk of pancreatic cancer.

In the study, scientists found excessive insulin levels overstimulated pancreatic acinar cells, which produce digestive juices. This overstimulation triggers inflammation that turns these cells into precancerous cells.

“Alon...

When doctors advise patients to lose weight, an optimistic approach is more likely to get results.

Researchers found that patients were more likely to participate in the recommended program and shed pounds if doctors presented obesity treatments as an “opportunity.” They compared that upbeat approach to emphasizing the negative consequences of obesity or using neutral language. <...

Time-restricted dieting may be a better way for people with type 2 diabetes to lose weight than counting calories, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that people who only ate between noon and 8 p.m. each day lost more weight than those who reduced their calories by 25%. Both groups, however, had similar reductions in long-term blood sugar levels based on a test of hemoglobin A1C. The...

Even a little exercise can counter the harms of sitting all day, a new study suggests.

Prolonged sitting raises your odds for an early death, but just 20 to 25 minutes of physical activity a day may offset that risk, researchers found.

"If people, for any reason, are sedentary for most of the day, small amounts of physical activity will still lower the risk of death substantially,"...

Rich in colorful fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and lean proteins, a Mediterranean style of eating consistently earns accolades for its long list of health benefits, including the prevention of heart disease and diabetes.

Now, new research from Spain shows this way of eating, when combined with regular exercise and fewer calories, can slash dangerous belly fat in older folks while he...

Many breast cancer survivors take a hormonal drug after cancer treatment to stave off a recurrence, but new research suggests these drugs may be less effective in women who are obese.

Breast cancer cells in hormone-positive breast cancers are fueled by the female sex hormone estrogen. Aromatase inhibitor medications lower estrogen levels by stopping an enzyme in fat tissue called aro...

As many doctors and patients hail the advent of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy as the perfect fix for obesity, some experts are urging caution.

The drugs are not well-tolerated by everyone struggling with obesity. For some folks, the weight piles back on as soon as the medication stops. There are also financial and ethical considerations, according to a commentary published onl...

What a baby eats, or how the baby eats, may have an impact on future weight and health, research has shown.

A new study backs that up. It found that 9-year-olds who had been breast-fed for six months or more had a lower percentage of body fat than their peers who were ne...

Weight-loss surgery can deliver a host of health benefits, but new research reveals an unexpected one: Getting the surgery was associated with a 40% lower risk of blood cancers.

Being overweight or obese is a risk factor for several types of cancer, and women with obesity have a higher risk of cancer than men do.

In the study, researchers used data from the Swedish Obese Subjects (...

Obesity is on the rise across the United States.

In 22 states, 35% of adults or more were obese last year, new data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show.

Just 10 years ago, there were no states that had obesity rates at or above 35%.

“Our updated maps send a clear message that additional support for obesity prevention and treatment is an urgent prio...

When it comes to staying trim, timing may be everything.

That's according to new research that found adults who routinely engaged in moderate-to-vigorous exercise early in the morning were less likely to be overweight or obese than those who worked out later in the day.

“For individuals who exercise regularly, their body mass index [BMI] is 2 units lower and waist circumference is...

“Vain” isn't a word normally associated with football players, but many wide receivers believe they look slim and fleet-footed with a lower number on their jersey rather than a higher one.

New research shows these players are onto something.

In two experiments, subjects shown images of players consistently said that those wearing jerseys numbered 10 to 19 looked thinner than tho...

Obesity taxes many parts of the body, but new research suggests the heart might take the hardest hit of all.

Between 1999 and 2020, deaths from heart disease linked to obesity tripled in the United States, and some groups were more vulnerable than others.

Specifically, Black adults had some of the highest rates of obesity-related heart disease deaths, with the highest percentag...

Cancer is surging among people under 50, a new global study reveals.

Over the past 30 years, new cases have increased 79% worldwide in that age bracket, according to a report published Sept. 5 in BMJ Oncology.

The fastest rising cancers are in the windpipe and prostate, and most deaths have been from brea...

Smoking may not only harm the smoker and those who breathe in the secondhand fumes, but also their future children.

New research suggests that boys who smoke in their early teens risk passing on harmful genetic traits to future children. The study probed the genetic profi...

Weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are surging in popularity, but that doesn't mean they're good for everyone.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) may be dangerous for children, warned researchers at University of California, Irvine.

Treating childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes with these injected medications may have unintended and adverse consequences in p...

An apple a day may be just what the doctor ordered.

New research on “produce prescription” programs finds that when access to free fruits and vegetables is offered, recipients see measurable benefits in health and hunger.

“To me, this shows that there's a very strong proof of concept behind produce prescriptions and this should, I think, add to the growing momentum to continue...

Using ECMO, a highly advanced form of breathing support, does not appear to complicate treatment for obese adults in intensive care.

ECMO, which is short for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, may even help these patients when they experience respiratory failure, despite the fact that its use has been questioned for those with obesity.

Obese patients who received ECMO for acute ...

In the midst of a childhood obesity epidemic, a new study is pointing to a way to help school kids maintain a healthier weight: clean, accessible drinking water.

The decidedly low-tech solution emerged in a study of 18 California elementary schools that serve largely low-income minority families. Researchers found that when they kicked off a "Water First" program -- which included putting...

Some medications may not treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as effectively if patients carry a lot of excess belly fat, , new research shows. IBD includes illnesses such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Researchers say using the wrong anti-inflammatory drug for these patients could mean lower rates of remission.

"Even though biologic medications have significantly impr...

Racial discrimination may drive health inequities from an early age, according to researchers who found that it puts kids at risk for obesity.

“Exposure to racial discrimination must be acknowledged as both a social determinant of obesity and a significant contributor to obesity disparities among children and adolescents,” said lead researcher