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Editor says it was "the wrong decision" to publish the studyA photo of bottles of apple cider vinegar on the shelf in a grocery store. A paper that touted the potential weight-loss properties of apple cider vinegar in people with overweight and obesity was pulled by its publisher Tuesday. The trial was originally publishedopens in a new tab or window in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health in March 2024, but swirling concerns over the quality of the data prompted the retractionopens in a new tab or window. Concerns included the researchers' approach to statistical analysis of the data, implausible statistical...

A new analysis of two large clinical trials reveals that a higher weekly dose of semaglutide (7.2 mg) can drive significantly greater weight loss and metabolic improvements in adults with obesity, including those with type 2 diabetes. Credit: Shutterstock =========================================================================== High-dose semaglutide drives greater weight loss. Safety remains favorable but needs further study. A weekly semaglutide dose of 7.2 mg has been shown to markedly enhance weight loss and improve health outcomes for adults with obesity, including those who also have type 2 diabetes (T2D). Evidence from two large, international phase 3 clinical trials, published in The Lancet Diabetes &...

Researchers have created plant-based microbeads that trap fat in the gut, helping rats lose weight without side effects. Unlike current drugs, the beads are safe, tasteless, and easy to mix into everyday foods. Human trials are now underway.

Scientists have produced the first detailed characterization of the changes that weight loss causes in human fat tissue by analyzing hundreds of thousands of cells. They found a range of positive effects, including clearing out of damaged, aging cells, and increased metabolism of harmful fats. The study compared samples of fat tissue from healthy weight individuals with samples from people with severe obesity (BMI over 35) undergoing bariatric weight loss surgery. The weight loss group had fat samples taken during surgery and more than five months after surgery, at which point they had lost an average of 25 kg. The...

NEW YORK, May 21 (Reuters) - Cigna (CI.N), opens new tab will cap out-of-pocket costs at $200 per month for patients using the weight-loss drugs Wegovy and Zepbound through an add-on to its pharmacy benefit management plans, the company announced on Wednesday. Cigna's pricing compares to the cash-pay market for weight-loss drugs, said Harold Carter, a senior vice president at Evernorth. The drugs, from Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO), opens new tab and Eli Lilly (LLY.N), opens new tab, have list prices that reach $1,000 but are available for about half that or less on the manufacturers' websites.

HealthWatch Weight loss drugs have "no end game" amid lack of data on long-term use, former FDA commissioner warns healthwatch By Edited By May 13, 2025 / 1:03 PM EDT / CBS News Weight loss drugs have transformed how Americans lose weight, including former commissioner for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Dr. David Kessler. But, Kessler warns there are unknowns about long-term use of the drugs and how to get people off them. "There is no end game," he said on "CBS Mornings Plus" Tuesday. "FDA allowed these medicines out without a long-term strategy." Kessler faced unexpected weight gain...

As employee benefits evolve, a new contender has emerged, generating significant buzz in corporate America—coverage for weight-loss medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound. These GLP-1 agonists, originally developed for type 2 diabetes treatment but now widely sought after for their weight loss effects, are reshaping how employers think about health benefits and how employees evaluate job opportunities. Ozempic, a brand name for semaglutide, has become especially popular for its effectiveness in managing blood sugar levels and promoting weight loss. With list prices hovering around $1,350 for a four-week supply of Wegovy, these GLP-1 agonists remain financially out of reach for...

Maine father says he also saves thousands per month on food expensesJustin Dudley, 48, tipped the scales at 343 pounds and a size XXXXL at his heaviest after years of carb-loading took a toll. The self-confessed "fast-food addict" says he followed every meal with dessert — and that he spent anywhere from $1,600 to $2,400 per month on ice cream, chips and candy. In April 2024, Dudley decided enough was enough. The single dad’s only son, Ethan, was set to graduate high school that spring, according to the SWNS report.

A naturally occurring molecule identified by Stanford Medicine researchers appears similar to semaglutide — also known as Ozempic — in suppressing appetite and reducing body weight. Notably, testing in animals also showed that it worked without some of the drug’s side effects such as nausea, constipation and significant loss of muscle mass. The newly discovered molecule, BRP, acts through a separate but similar metabolic pathway and activates different neurons in the brain — seemingly offering a more targeted approach to body weight reduction. “The receptors targeted by semaglutide are found in the brain but also in the gut, pancreas and...

A new study has found that gold nanoparticles may be more effective than a common weight-loss drug in reversing obesity-related health problems, offering new hope for those looking to lose fat. Researchers from Alexandria University, Erbil Polytechnic University, and Pharos University tested tiny gold particles on rats that became obese after being fed a high-fat diet. The gold particles reduced body fat, improved muscle mass, and restored the health of vital organs, showing stronger results than orlistat, a commonly used anti-obesity drug. Obesity rates and current treatment challenges Obesity occurs when excess fat accumulates in the body due to consuming...

A once-XXXXXL mom who had to have a double mastectomy to reduce her risk of cancer lost over 200 lbs. so she could have breast reconstruction surgery. Tori Phillips, 39, long used food as comfort due to a tough upbringing and already weighed about 180 lbs. by the time she was 11. Over the years she tried diets and exercise programs, but she would always put the weight on again. But a health scare in her late 30s was the push she needed to throw herself into losing weight, and she’s halved her body weight following a gastric sleeve, dieting,...

Snack foods and sweet treats have seen a decline in purchases, as people reach for more nutrient-dense options.Ozempic, Mounjaro, and other glucagon-like peptide-1 medications, otherwise known as GLP-1s, are changing how Americans shop for groceries. In early January, Food & Wine published a story about how food companies are releasing all-new products or reimagining the marketing of old ones to appeal to more GLP-1 users who may be looking for specific nutrition needs like high-protein, high-fiber foods. In that story, we mentioned one tiny but important research paper by Cornell University that showed that households with at least one GLP-1...

Research published in the last week revealed that for the first time in more than a decade, obesity rates among US adults fell slightly last year, decreasing from 46% in 2022 to 45.6% in 2023. While we might need a few more years of data to conclusively tie these results to the rise of semaglutide drugs like Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic, it feels impossible to ignore the timing, with Novo’s sales booming in recent years and hitting a record ~$10 billion in its latest quarter.Sales of these GLP-1 treatments — drugs that mimic the effects of blood-sugar-regulating hormone GLP-1, a feature...

A few years ago, West Virginia, which has the highest obesity rate in the nation, quietly began a small and unusual pilot program that would touch hundreds of lives: It started covering obesity drugs for state employees—even as many other insurers balked at what they considered expensive “vanity” drugs. The program was, by health measures, a success. Patients shed as much as 120 pounds, their cholesterol dropped, their prediabetes faded, and they cut down on blood-pressure meds. As word began to spread, more patients wanted to join. A school nurse told me her weight loss inspired at least six other...

"Nothing would do more" to bolster Americans’ health, he wrote in a post on X.Elon Musk, who is spearheading President-elect Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, is touting GLP-1 drugs to treat obesity. “Nothing would do more to improve the health, lifespan and quality of life for Americans than making GLP inhibitors [sic] super low cost to the public,” Musk wrote in a post on X Wednesday. “Nothing else is even close.” [Snip] It’s not clear how Musk would make GLP-1s “super low cost.” The drugs are expected to be eligible for Medicare price negotiation down the line, which could...

Trendy weight-loss drugs making headlines for shrinking waistlines may also be shrinking the human heart and other muscles, according to a new University of Alberta study whose authors say should serve as a “cautionary tale” about possible long-term health effects of these drugs. “If people have been prescribed these drugs, then the benefits should likely far exceed the risks,” says Jason Dyck, lead author on the study, pediatrics professor in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry and a member of the Women and Children’s Health Research Institute. “However, the growing number of people who may be taking these drugs who...

High-protein breakfast foods often seem like a smart, nutritious choice to jumpstart our day. They're hailed as morning heroes, offering sustained energy and keeping you full until your next meal. From protein shakes to egg white omelets, there are a variety of options that make it easy to add more protein to your mornings. But despite all their benefits, some high-protein breakfast foods can have hidden pitfalls that may compromise our weight loss efforts. Many high-protein foods that seem healthy often hide ingredients like added sugars, unhealthy fats, or fillers that can undermine their benefits and stall weight loss progress....

If you want to lose weight in a healthy, sustainable way, it's essential to get adequate levels of protein in your daily diet. For one, consuming healthy protein helps you feel satiated for longer periods of time and reduces your hunger hormones, which can prevent overeating or snacking between meals. Protein also has a higher TEF (thermic effect of food) than fat or carbohydrates, meaning it helps your body burn more calories when you eat it. And on top of that, protein can help you build muscle mass.

If you were a fan of Super Size Me in the early 2000s, you may have mixed emotions on whether or not you can eat fast food and still be healthy. Fast food typically has a reputation for being high in calories, fat, sodium, and added sugars—but that doesn't mean you can't find healthier fast-food options as part of a balanced diet. We spoke to dietitians to find out exactly which fast food meals they recommend for your health and which ones can even help contribute to weight loss.

Participants on a self-directed dietary education program who had the greatest success at losing weight across a 25-month period consumed greater amounts of protein and fiber, a study found. Personalization and flexibility also were key in creating plans that dieters could adhere to over time. At the one-year mark, successful dieters (41% of participants) had lost 12.9% of their body weight, compared with the remainder of the study sample, who lost slightly more than 2% of their starting weight, according to a study. The dieters were participants in the Individualized Diet Improvement Program, said Manabu T. Nakamura. "The iDip approach...