Browse the evidence

Global obesity prevalence has increased significantly and now exceeds underweight prevalence in the vast majority of countries, creating a 'double burden' of malnutrition driven by rising obesity rather than persistent undernutrition.

Focus on healthy nutrition transitions that enhance access to nutritious foods. Address the remaining burden of underweight while curbing and reversing the increase in obesity.

Cellular senescence is a principle causative factor in organismal aging and facilitates aging-associated diseases.

This mechanism explains why aging tissues accumulate damage. Interventions targeting senescent cells (senolytics) are being researched to mitigate age-related diseases, though specific protocols are not detailed in this text.

Senescent cells secrete pro-inflammatory factors (SASP) that drive further senescence in neighboring cells and impair immune function, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of tissue damage.

The accumulation of senescent cells contributes to tissue aging. While senolytics (drugs that clear senescent cells) are in development, current practical steps involve supporting the body's natural clearance mechanisms through healthy lifestyle habits that reduce cellular stress.

Without immediate and effective intervention, the global prevalence of adult overweight and obesity will continue to increase, reaching 3.80 billion adults by 2050.

The current trajectory of global obesity is unsustainable and will affect over half the adult population by 2050. Individuals and policymakers must move beyond simple awareness and implement aggressive, targeted interventions tailored to local contexts to prevent this crisis.

Accelerated brain aging, specifically measured by a cognition-optimized plasma proteomic model (CognitionBrain), predicts Alzheimer's disease progression and cognitive decline independently of and as strongly as the current best blood biomarker, pTau-181.

For those concerned about Alzheimer's, this research suggests that a new blood test measuring brain-specific aging (CognitionBrain) is just as powerful as the current gold standard (pTau-181) and provides additional, independent information. Using both together offers the best prediction of cognitive decline. This highlights the importance of early, multi-faceted biomarker screening for those with family history or risk factors, rather than relying on a single test.

Tirzepatide treatment does not increase the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE-4) in patients with type 2 diabetes compared to control groups.

If you have type 2 diabetes, taking tirzepatide once a week does not increase your risk of heart attacks, strokes, or cardiovascular death compared to other standard treatments. This holds true for patients with both low and high existing heart risk, providing a safe option for cardiovascular protection while managing blood sugar.

GrimAge version 2 (GrimAge2), an epigenetic clock based on DNA methylation, is a superior predictor of all-cause mortality and age-related morbidity compared to the original GrimAge and other epigenetic clocks.

GrimAge2 is a blood test that measures your biological age based on DNA methylation patterns. It is a more accurate predictor of your risk for death and age-related diseases (like heart disease and diabetes) than your actual age or other aging clocks. While you cannot change your chronological age, your biological age can be influenced by lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet, and physical activity. Monitoring this metric can provide early warning signs of health decline, allowing for proactive lifestyle interventions.

Inhibition of IL-11 signaling through genetic deletion or therapeutic antibody administration extends mammalian healthspan and lifespan by mitigating age-associated metabolic decline, frailty, and tissue fibrosis.

This research suggests that targeting the IL-11 pathway could be a viable strategy for extending healthspan and lifespan in humans. While the study was conducted in mice, the findings support the potential of anti-IL-11 therapies, which are already in clinical trials for other conditions, to mitigate age-related decline. For now, this remains a preclinical finding, but it highlights IL-11 as a promising target for future longevity interventions.

Multi-omics approaches (proteomics, transcriptomics) are necessary to accurately measure and understand the complexity of inflammaging, as single biomarkers like IL-6 or TNF-α are insufficient.

Current single-marker tests for inflammation are limited. Multi-omics approaches offer a more comprehensive view of inflammaging, which may lead to better diagnostics and targeted therapies in the future.

Athletes should consume 1.4–2.0 g of protein per kg of body weight per day to optimize lean body mass and strength during resistance training.

If you train with weights, aim for 1.4 to 2.0 grams of protein for every kilogram of your body weight each day. This range is the scientific standard for building and keeping muscle while you train hard.

Resistance training increases skeletal muscle mass, strength, and physical function in healthy adults compared to no exercise.

If you are a healthy adult, engaging in resistance training is one of the most effective ways to increase muscle mass, strength, and physical function. You do not need a specific complex protocol to see benefits; simply performing resistance exercises against external resistance yields significant improvements compared to doing nothing.

Once-weekly mazdutide (3–6 mg) administered for 24 weeks produces robust, dose-dependent body weight reduction (up to 11.3%) and improves cardio-metabolic risk factors in Chinese overweight or obese adults.

For Chinese adults with obesity or overweight with related health issues, a once-weekly injection of mazdutide (up to 6 mg) for 24 weeks can lead to significant weight loss (up to 11%) and improved heart health markers. While gastrointestinal side effects like nausea are common, they are usually manageable and do not typically cause patients to stop treatment.

Once-weekly subcutaneous tirzepatide (5, 10, and 15 mg) produces significant, dose-dependent weight loss and improvements in cardiometabolic markers compared to placebo in adults with or without type 2 diabetes.

If you are an adult with obesity or overweight (with or without Type 2 Diabetes), once-weekly tirzepatide injections (5-15 mg) are a highly effective medical intervention for weight loss, averaging 8-12% body weight reduction depending on the dose. It also improves blood pressure, blood sugar, and lipids. While you may experience temporary gastrointestinal issues like nausea, these are usually mild and subside over time. This treatment is significantly more effective than older anti-obesity drugs and is generally safe, with no increased risk of serious adverse events compared to placebo.

Survodutide, a dual glucagon and GLP-1 receptor agonist, produces significant weight loss, BMI reduction, and waist circumference reduction in adults with overweight or obesity.

Survodutide is a once-weekly injection that significantly reduces weight, BMI, and waist size. The benefits are greater with higher doses (>2mg/week) and longer treatment durations (>16 weeks). It is particularly effective for individuals under 50 years old. Common side effects are gastrointestinal, but it offers a non-surgical option for weight management.

The efficacy of Survodutide for weight loss is conditional on dose and duration, with doses >2 mg/week and interventions >16 weeks yielding significantly greater reductions in weight and waist circumference.

To maximize weight loss with Survodutide, ensure you are on a dose above 2 mg/week and continue treatment for at least 16 weeks. Lower doses or shorter durations result in less significant weight and waist circumference reduction.

Weekly subcutaneous administration of Tirzepatide (5-15 mg) significantly reduces body weight and body fat percentage in non-diabetic obese patients compared to placebo, with effects comparable to bariatric surgery.

If you are obese and non-diabetic, Tirzepatide is a highly effective weekly injection that can lead to significant weight loss (up to ~21%) and fat loss, outperforming previous GLP-1 drugs. It requires a commitment to weekly injections and lifestyle changes (diet and 150 mins/week exercise), but may offer a better side-effect profile regarding nausea than older drugs due to its dual GIP/GLP-1 mechanism.

A once-weekly synthetic semaglutide formulation (test drug) provides weight loss efficacy and safety comparable to the innovator semaglutide (Wegovy) in Indian adults with obesity over a 24-week period.

If you are an adult in India with obesity who has struggled to lose weight through diet and exercise alone, this study shows that a once-weekly synthetic semaglutide injection works just as well as the brand-name version (Wegovy) over 24 weeks. You can expect to lose about 14-15% of your body weight if you follow the dose-titration schedule (starting low and increasing every 4 weeks) alongside a 500-calorie daily deficit and 150 minutes of weekly exercise. While you may experience common side effects like nausea or constipation, they are generally mild and manageable. This option may be more affordable than the brand name, making it a viable long-term management tool.

Tirzepatide (5 mg, 10 mg, and 15 mg) significantly reduces body weight in patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity compared to placebo, GLP-1 receptor agonists, and basal insulin.

Tirzepatide is a highly effective treatment for weight loss in people with T2DM or obesity, outperforming other common medications like GLP-1 agonists and insulin. It is taken as a once-weekly injection. While it causes gastrointestinal side effects like nausea and diarrhea, these are usually mild and temporary. If you are considering this, discuss the benefits of significant weight loss against the potential for temporary stomach issues with your doctor.

In overweight/obese adults, a low-carbohydrate diet (26% of calories) without calorie restriction produces significantly greater weight loss and BMI reduction than a calorie-restricted diet (1200-1500 kcal) with standard carbohydrate intake (55-65%).

If you are overweight or obese, try reducing your carbohydrate intake to about 26% of your total calories (roughly 50-60g of carbs per day for many adults) without worrying about counting calories. Eat more fat and protein. You do not need to restrict your total energy intake to lose weight effectively; in fact, you may eat more calories than on a standard low-calorie diet and still lose more weight. This approach was shown to be superior to standard calorie restriction over 12 weeks.

Combining low-carbohydrate intake (26% of calories) with calorie restriction (1200-1500 kcal) yields the greatest reduction in BMI, body weight, waist circumference, and body fat compared to either intervention alone.

For the fastest and most comprehensive weight loss, combine a low-carbohydrate diet (26% of calories from carbs) with a moderate calorie restriction (1200-1500 kcal/day). This dual approach was shown to reduce BMI, body weight, waist circumference, and body fat more effectively than either strategy used alone. This is the most potent dietary intervention for overweight/obese individuals in this study.

For individuals performing resistance training, muscle strength increases linearly with total protein intake up to 1.5 g/kg body weight per day, with no additional benefit from higher intakes.

If you lift weights, aim for 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. This is the sweet spot for maximizing strength gains. Eating more than this does not provide additional strength benefits.

Calorie restriction (energy deficit) is the primary driver of weight loss, with macronutrient composition having a secondary or negligible impact on long-term outcomes.

To lose weight, you must consume fewer calories than you burn. The specific type of diet (low-carb, low-fat, etc.) matters less for long-term success than maintaining that calorie deficit. Choose a dietary pattern you can sustain that creates this deficit.

Behavioral interventions (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing) are essential components of obesity treatment, as nutritional guidance alone is often insufficient.

Combine dietary changes with behavioral strategies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Motivational Interviewing. These tools help build the skills necessary for long-term adherence to healthy habits.

In overweight and obese adults, low-carbohydrate diets (LCD) produce greater reductions in triglycerides, diastolic blood pressure, and body weight, along with greater increases in HDL cholesterol, compared to low-fat diets (LFD) over a duration of 6 to 23 months.

If you are overweight or obese, switching to a diet with less than 40% of your calories from carbohydrates (instead of less than 30% from fat) is likely to help you lose more weight, lower your triglycerides, raise your 'good' HDL cholesterol, and lower your diastolic blood pressure over the next 6-23 months. However, this benefit disappears after 24 months, where both diets are equally effective.