June 12, 2021 — Would it be too strong to call this one of the biggest public health failures of the 21st century? We ask this about diabetes control because it appears to be out of control. After a decade of better control at the turn of the century, key markers of health in people living with diabetes have […]
June 8, 2021 — The mantra for the Wegovy brand of semaglutide just approved by FDA for obesity is clear enough – game changer. Great. Obesity is not a game, but health plans treat it like a 19th century game of hot potato: “Jack’s alive, and likely to live If he dies in your hand, you’ve a forfeit to […]
June 5, 2021 — Experts labeled it as a gamechanger months ago. So it is certainly good news to see semaglutide approved by FDA, now with a brand name, Wegovy. With good reason, people see this new drug as something that can bring radical progress to treating obesity. On average, it’s more effective than other drugs for obesity. Compared […]
May 28, 2021 — It has long been true that health systems delay care for teens with severe obesity. Health plans stall and do their best to avoid paying. Many pediatricians are uncomfortable with the subject. Parents are unsure of what to do and often feel blame for their child’s medical condition. Guilt and blame breed denial and delay. […]
May 22, 2021 — Anyone following the news on progress with anti-obesity meds might have noticed a rising number of news reports about various “tides” for obesity. Liraglutide is already out there. So is setmelanotide. Semaglutide injection is under review at FDA and approval is possible as early as the middle of this year. Tirzepatide is advancing in clinical […]
May 20, 2021 — The big meeting of gastroenterology – DDW – happens online this weekend. It’s doesn’t typically offer a lot on obesity science and clinical care. But this year, the meeting has a fascinating peek at the potential for pairing endoscopy with semaglutide. News in advance of the meeting suggests this pairing might produce clinical results that […]
May 18, 2021 — There’s both good news and bad news in a new study of physician attitudes about obesity in Europe. The good news is that, by and large, most physicians in this sample get it. Obesity is a disease they should be treating. The bad news? They’re not really doing it. Dig into the results and what […]
May 16, 2021 — Stroke is generally a problem for older persons. Nonetheless, as much as 15 percent of all strokes happen to people between the ages of 18 and 50. What’s more, incidence is rising for younger people. A new study in Stroke offers good reasons to believe that rising obesity in young persons may account for some […]
May 11, 2021 — In one intense week, the European Congress on Obesity and the Canadian Obesity Summit are setting the bar high for translating research and guidelines into policies and action. A year ago, new Canadian guidelines emerged. The driving concept was simple – health first, before weight. Then in March, the European Commission redefined obesity. It’s a […]
May 10, 2021 — As the European Congress on Obesity starts this morning, a pair of analyses are casting a harsh light on herbals and dietary supplements for weight loss. In fact, the science for these products is thin. The lead author of this work, Erica Bessell, explains: “Very few high-quality studies have been done on some supplements, with […]
