The World Obesity Federation today published its fourth World Obesity Atlas, which this year provides predictions for the prevalence of obesity in men, women and children in 2030 and presents a new index for ranking countries in terms of their preparedness for obesity, including their health systems.

Published on World Obesity Day, a global awareness day calling for action to address the impact of obesity, the Atlas report estimates that by 2030 a billion people globally will be living with obesity. 

Johanna Ralston, CEO World Obesity Federation said: “It is clear we will not meet the 2025 UN targets to halt the rise of obesity, however we do have reasons to be optimistic...

Impressive athleticism was on display during the Winter Olympics, but being at the top of one’s game doesn’t necessarily protect against digestive distress resulting from exercise. Surprisingly, some people are adding cocoa to their diets to reduce these symptoms. Now, researchers in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry report that long-term daily consumption of cocoa doesn’t appear to improve exercise-related digestive issues in male athletes and induces only minimal changes to their gut microbiomes...

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases worldwide, affecting about 50 million people. Most live in low to middle-income countries where prevention and treatment can be lacking. Head injury, stroke, infections, and congenital abnormalities can all lead to epilepsy. The disease can diminish quality of life and cause premature death. Epilepsy is characterized by recurrent seizures, which are episodes of involuntary movement that may...

Although flavonoids have the potential to exert neuroprotective benefits, evidence of their role in improving survival rates among individuals with Parkinson disease (PD) remains lacking. We aimed to prospectively study the association between pre- and post-diagnosis flavonoid intakes and risk of mortality among individuals with PD identified from two large ongoing cohorts of US men and women. Included in the current analysis were 599 women from...

Long-term complications after COVID-19 are common, but the potential cause for persistent symptoms after viral clearance remains unclear. To investigate whether gut microbiome composition is linked to post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS), defined as at least one persistent symptom 4 weeks after clearance of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We conducted a prospective study of 106 patients with a spectrum of COVID-19 severity followed up from admission to 6 months and 68 non-COVID-19 controls. We analysed serial faecal microbiome of 258 samples using shotgun metagenomic sequencing, and correlated the results with...

Despite numerous reports on the beneficial effects of olive oil in the cardiovascular context, very little is known about the olive tree’s wild counterpart (Olea europaea, L. var. sylvestris), commonly known as acebuche (ACE) in Spain. The aim of this study was to analyse the possible beneficial effects of an extra virgin ACE oil on vascular function in a rodent model of arterial hypertension induced by L-NAME (NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester)...

The UK’s consumer health sector is set for its biggest shake-up in more than a decade when the Food Standards Agency (FSA) releases its eagerly-awaited public list of cannabinoid (CBD) products permitted for sale to consumers. Only products on the list will be able to stay on the market, while those not included will have to be taken off sale. It is anticipated that Trading Standards...

Pesticides have become indispensable for modern agriculture, although their harmful effects on human health and the ecosystem are being reported every day. Monitoring of pesticide concentrations thus constitutes an entire area of active research. In a recent study, scientists from China have successfully developed a sensitive electrochemical detection method based on bifunctional cerium oxide nanozyme to detect the organophosphate pesticide, methyl-paraoxon, in plant extracts, adding to the ever-increasing pool of pesticide detection methods. Organophosphates, like methyl-paraoxon, have grown in prominence as effective pest...

The link between vitamin D and a reduction in the risk of older adults suffering from a fall is the focus of IADSA’s latest ‘Mind the Gap’ resource. Available to view on the website, the resource explains that falling is a risk factor for bone fractures among men and women aged 60 years and older. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are 37.3 million falls every year – more than 100,000 a day – that are serious enough to require attention. Multiple factors can increase the risk of fall, including a lack of vitamin D. Scientists believe vitamin D improves muscle function, strength and body balance, which helps to reduce the risk of falling. WHO and the US National Institute on Aging both...