#obesity-crisis

#obesity-crisis

We've created a small molecule chemical which gets in your body very well. It can mimic the effects of the peptide and can be taken more conveniently any time of day without any food or water restrictions.

I grew up in a Mexican household where food was our love language - but there was also stigma and very little guidance around diabetes. When my aunt, and later my mom, were diagnosed, it took time to understand what healthy eating could look like for them. That's why this partnership means so much to me. Our culture and our food are not the problem - they're part of the solution.

Most of the carbohydrates in these foods - as well as most of the calories - come from starch, of which there are two types: hard-to-digest amylose and easily digested amylopectin. The latter is processed quickly and spikes blood sugar. The former is processed slowly and moderates blood sugar.

According to a growing body of research, the circumference of your neck could be an indicator of a higher likelihood of serious metabolic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and sleep disorders. Another troubling fact is that even if your body mass index (BMI) index is healthy, just how large your neck is could still be a determining factor in your predisposition to developing these conditions.

Many other higher-income countries are grappling with rising obesity and diabetes, but the U.S. stands out for how consistently those risks translate into worse cardiovascular outcomes, and how wide the gaps are by income, race, ethnicity, and geography.

Laura CressTechnology reporter Fiordaliso via Getty Images Children are routinely exposed to adverts for weight loss injections and pills online, according to a report by the children's commissioner for England. It found young people were "routinely bombarded" with ads for products which claimed to change their bodies and appearance, despite this kind of advertising being banned. Dame Rachel de Souza said the posts were "immensely damaging" to young people's self-esteem and called for a ban on social media advertising to children.

From ultra-processed foods to hidden chemicals, we ask whether what's on our plates is making us ill. From ultra-processed foods to chemicals linked to cancer and chronic disease, this episode unpacks what's really inside everyday supermarket products. We examine how mass production and convenience culture reshaped our diets, why some ingredients are banned in parts of the world but legal elsewhere, and what FDA-approved actually means.

A crowd of customers, holding phones aloft, watch intently as Auntie Nid mixes up her bestseller: an iced Thai tea. Condensed milk is poured into a glass, followed by three heaped tablespoons of sugar, and then freshly strained tea. The end product a deep orange, creamy treat is poured into a plastic bag filled with ice. I want to spoil my customers, says Auntie Nid, 68, who prefers to be known by her nickname.

Diet culture norms have led to a multibillion-dollar industry promoting diets that each come with their own set of rules, with each claiming it's the only way to be healthy or lose weight. When access to nutrition information is at an all-time high online, people are often left digging through conflicting information when trying to figure out what to eat or what a healthy diet look likes.

In many ways, public health can't afford to ignore gamification. Addiction is already gamified-and it's winning. As one example, "smart" vapes now feature screens, rewards, animations, and puff tracking. These high-tech devices have become top-selling products, with 32% of youth and 33% of young adults reporting using vapes with screens, games, or Bluetooth connectivity in the past month. These products are applying the same engagement strategies used in consumer tech to drive repeat use and ultimately sustain addictive behavior.

A Colorado endocrinologist helped spark a quiet revolution in weight care by changing how primary care clinics talk about - and treat - obesity. Instead of vague advice to "eat less and exercise more," a new system called PATHWEIGH gave patients a clear, judgment-free path to real medical support for weight management.

NPR's global health and development team tells stories about life in our changing world, focusing on low- and middle-income countries also referred to as the Global South. And we keep in mind that we're all neighbors in this global village. NPR receives financial support for this team from the Gates Foundation. NPR is solely responsible for all content. Find more about NPR's standards and practices at NPR.org/ethics, as well as a list of our philanthropic supporters in our annual report.

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition caused by diabetes that damages the retina's blood vessels and can lead to vision loss if untreated.