GLP-1 Drugs Have Rapidly Lowered American Obesity Rates, Survey Shows
According to the Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index, the U.S. obesity rate fell from 39.9% in 2022 to 37% in 2025. Plus: Women may need less exercise than men to improve heart health.
The number of people using injectable obesity treatments is increasing rapidly, and it is leading to declines in obesity, according to a new survey by the Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index. The obesity rate dropped to 37% of U.S. adults this year, down from a high of 39.9% three years ago, according to the survey. (Noguchi, 10/28)
More health and wellness news 鈥
A man who lived with a genetically modified pig kidney for a record 271 days had the organ removed and will return to dialysis. Tim Andrews of New Hampshire received the transplant in January, but surgeons at Mass General Brigham removed the organ Thursday because of a decline in kidney function. (Christensen, 10/27)
Turning off the lights at night has long been known to support restful sleep, but new research suggests it may have another significant benefit. Sleeping in total darkness may lower the risk for cardiovascular disease, the top cause of death worldwide. (Rogers, 10/27)
Women may need less exercise than men to gain similar protection against coronary heart disease, according to a new study published in Nature Cardiovascular Research. The findings come from an observational study of more than 85,000 adults in the United Kingdom who were followed for about seven years. Researchers used data from a one-time 鈥渟napshot鈥 鈥 a weeklong period of wrist-worn fitness tracker measurements 鈥 to examine how physical activity relates to heart disease risk and death rates. The study found that women who got around four hours of moderate exercise each week lowered their risk of coronary heart disease by about 30%. (Mowdawalla, 10/27)
Enjoying original works of art in a gallery can relieve stress, reduce the risk of heart disease and boost your immune system, according to the first study of its kind. Researchers measured the physiological responses of participants while viewing masterpieces by world-renowned artists including Manet, Van Gogh and Gauguin in a gallery. (Gregory, 10/27)
On the environment and health 鈥
Residents of the Louisiana and Texas Gulf Coast are bracing for their latest environmental setback: A two-year exemption loosening emissions standards at some petrochemical plants 鈥 a move that could pump nearly 5.3 million additional tons of air pollution each year into their neighborhoods. (Jones, 10/28)
Most of the nations that signed the Paris agreement a decade ago have failed to carry out one of the accord鈥檚 fundamental duties: submit new plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. So many have missed both the original and extended deadlines that a United Nations assessment released Tuesday could offer nothing more than a 鈥渓imited鈥 picture without 鈥済lobal-level conclusions鈥 about the planet鈥檚 trajectory. (Harlan, 10/28)
Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder who has spent billions of his own money to raise the alarm about the dangers of climate change, is now pushing back against what he calls a 鈥渄oomsday outlook鈥 and appears to have shifted his stance on the risks posed by a warming planet. In a lengthy memo released Tuesday, Mr. Gates sought to tamp down the alarmism he said many people use to describe the effects of rising temperatures. Instead, he called for redirecting efforts toward improving lives in the developing world. (Gelles, 10/28)