Many people will remember 2023 as the year we ushered in a new age of weight-loss treatment, with GLP-1 agonists pivoting from diabetes to obesity treatment. This shift brought several issues to the forefront, such as inequality in access to healthcare, and society's complicated view of and relationship with "fatness." However, the drugs are here to stay – and more are expected in 2024. Of course, there was much more happening in 2023, such as remarkable research into genetic triggers associated with dieting, obesity and hunger.
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![Manipulating this molecule could provide a safe way to lose weight and keep it off]()
August 18, 2023 | Bronwyn ThompsonImagine being able to take a peptide that could stave off obesity, reverse osteoporosis and combat inflammatory and cardiovascular issues? Scientists have made the first step, discovering how a key protein communicates cell shape changes with the brain. -
![Researchers have discovered how a cluster of specialized cells in the brain can cause obesity]()
September 11, 2023 | Paul McClureResearchers have discovered the mechanism by which a cluster of astrocytes, specialized brain cells, in the hypothalamus cause obesity in mice. Their findings could lead to a new obesity treatment that doesn't require a reduction in food intake. -
![The VIBE pill activates muscles around the stomach, which sets off a chain reaction of hormones that suppresses appetite and might be a less invasive alternative to gastric surgeries]()
December 26, 2023 | Michael IrvingThe stomach signals the brain to say when you’ve had enough to eat – although we ignore it at the holidays. MIT scientists have found a way to hijack that mechanism with a vibrating pill that can help reduce appetite and potentially treat obesity. -
![Researchers are hoping this is the first step in finding novel ways to burn excess fat, which can increases the risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes]()
May 31, 2023 | Bronwyn ThompsonBad news, there's no magic pill for weight loss just yet. The good news? Scientists have uncovered the workings of a protein that triggers calorie burning in brown fat, and they believe it gets us one step closer to being able to 'switch on' fat loss. -
![New research may change the way we view our discarded crab shells]()
September 10, 2023 | Bronwyn ThompsonChitin, which provides crucial exoskeletal structure and protection to soft-bodied arthropods such as crustaceans, spiders and insects, may have a surprising role in switching up human metabolism in the gut, helping to fight weight gain and obesity. -
![By mapping the nerves supplying brown fat, researchers are a step closer to a novel obesity treatment]()
October 10, 2023 | Paul McClureResearchers have mapped the nerve pathways that supply brown adipose tissue, or ‘brown fat’. It’s the first step in developing a way of stimulating the nerves to burn fat as a novel treatment for obesity and related metabolic conditions. -
![Scientists recorded significant improvements in metabolic health in those 'prescribed' natural light treatment]()
October 02, 2023 | Bronwyn ThompsonLifestyle interventions to treat or prevent type 2 diabetes and obesity are not the easiest changes. Now, a study suggests that a prescribed period of natural light during the day could significantly improve health markers, with little effort required. -
![Sex-specific genetic therapy could make it easier for everybody to lose weight]()
August 02, 2023 | Bronwyn ThompsonObesity is a massive global crisis, with around 650 million adults and 124 million children and adolescents impacted. Researchers from Cambridge University have made new discoveries about sex- and age-specific genetic hiccups related to obesity. -
![Scientists edge closer to getting white adipose tissue to feel the burn, leading to loss of fat]()
October 02, 2023 | Bronwyn ThompsonFinding the molecular key to turn fat tissue from white to brown has huge potential for weight loss, yet the cellular code has been a hard one to crack. Scientists are now one step closer, finding a way in to manipulate the tricky white fat cells. -
![Your brain chemistry may be making it that much harder to lose weight]()
June 12, 2023 | Bronwyn ThompsonWhile the ‘move more, eat less’ mantra is prevalent, more is being discovered about the complex brain-gut link in obesity and weight loss. Now, a new study suggests faulty ‘reward’ dopamine release may be fueling poor nutrition and chronic overeating. -
![In trials that included controlled diet and exercise, tirzepatide performed better than semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy)]()
November 08, 2023 | Bronwyn ThompsonThe US has officially got a homegrown hero in the burgeoning global industry of effective weight-loss treatment, with the FDA approval of Lilly’s Zepbound. The company has revealed its cost, dosages, insurance subsidies and when it will be on shelves. -
![Bariatric surgery is successful at treating obesity, but it's not without its risks]()
March 29, 2023 | Michael FrancoBariatric surgery has proven successful at treating obesity and reversing diabetes, but it's not without risks. Working with rodents, researchers have found a way to harness benefits similar to those from surgery, but in the form of an injection. -
![From left, Prof. Benu Adhikari, Dr. Thilini Thrimawithana and PhD candidate Manisha Singh, with roselle flower petals]()
March 17, 2023 | Ben CoxworthFor some people who are morbidly obese, changes in diet and lifestyle just aren't sufficient to shed all the extra weight. A new study suggests that a hibiscus flower extract could help, without the side effects of weight-loss drugs. -
![Being able to control appetite stimuli in the gut may offer a successful alternative to weight-loss surgery]()
April 05, 2023 | Bronwyn ThompsonWhile weight-loss surgery is effective, it can also be expensive and come with a host of unpleasant side effects. Scientists hope that by regulating a certain bile acid, the benefits of surgery can be replicated without a single invasive procedure. -
![Professor Shota Atsumi, UC Davis Department of Chemistry, led a team that found a new way to coax microbes into making allulose, a potential substitute for table sugar]()
October 24, 2023 | Bronwyn ThompsonNatural sugar allulose is 70% as sweet as table sugar, with only 10% of the calories, and does not affect blood glucose or insulin, making it an ideal sugar replacement. Yet producing it has been a huge roadblock. Scientists say they've cracked the code. -
![A study has found that putting rats' circadian rhythm out of sync significantly impacts their appetite]()
October 11, 2023 | Paul McClureDesynchronizing the circadian rhythm in rats had a significant impact on appetite and feeding behavior, a study has found. The findings have important implications for night shift workers and those suffering jet lag and chronic sleep disturbances. -
![Exercise mimetics have the potential to not just change body weight but also lower risk of other health conditions such as cardiovascular disease and dementia]()
September 25, 2023 | Bronwyn ThompsonAs a new age of weight-loss therapeutics dawns, scientists are one step closer to a drug that can coax muscles into behaving as if they’ve just been put through a workout. The benefits range from weight loss to treating diabetes and heart conditions. -
![A clinical trial has found that the drug tirzepatide, taken after weight loss due to lifestyle changes, leads to additional weight reduction]()
October 18, 2023 | Paul McClureA phase 3 clinical trial of tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro, has demonstrated that if taken after an initial weight loss brought about by diet and lifestyle changes, the drug can lead to significant additional weight reduction. -
![A study has found that signals from our mouth, relating to taste, reach our brains first to control food intake]()
November 23, 2023 | Paul McClureResearch has found that signals linked to how food tastes are sent to our brains almost immediately to slow our eating pace, with the well-known stretch signals from the gut coming later, providing greater insights into how the body controls appetite. -
![Research findings indicate smaller meals and eating less frequently are more important to losing weight than the time of day one eats]()
January 19, 2023 | Rich HaridyA study following the eating habits of 500 people found weight change is most affected by the size and frequency of meals rather than the interval from first to last meal. The study challenges the belief intermittent fasting is a useful weight loss tool. -
![The fat-burn zone is not one-size-fits-all]()
August 13, 2023 | Bronwyn ThompsonWhile most people attempting to lose weight will know that there is an optimal ‘zone’ in which fat metabolizes best, based on heart rate and age. Researchers have now found that for many people this is actually an inaccurate formula to be using.
