-
The Truth About Compounded GLP-1 Drugs
Read More: The Truth About Compounded GLP-1 DrugsGLP-1 medications are everywhere these days โ especially online. A quick scroll through social media can bring up a wide range of companies and influencers touting the benefits of GLP-1 drugs, and women tend to be the target audience. A recent study in the Journal of Medical Internet Research found most of the posts about…
-
The Importance of Exercise and Nutrition While Using a GLP-1
Read More: The Importance of Exercise and Nutrition While Using a GLP-1GLP-1 medications for weight loss are having their moment โ and for good reason. GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide-1. They include brand names you may be familiar with like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound. GLP-1s were originally designed to help people with Type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar levels. But they are now approved…
-
Can Semaglutide Prevent Alzheimerโs?
Read More: Can Semaglutide Prevent Alzheimerโs?June is Alzheimerโs and Brain Awareness Month. Promising research alert! If you watch TV or any screen at all, youโve probably heard of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, or GLP-1 drugs. The popular prescription weight-loss medications help manage blood sugar and reduce appetite in people living with Type 2 diabetes and obesity. GLP-1 drugs have…
-
The Skinny on Microdosing GLP-1 Drugs
Read More: The Skinny on Microdosing GLP-1 DrugsMarch 3 -7, 2025, is Obesity Care Week. The term โmicrodosingโ probably makes you think of psychedelic drugs โ us too. But the latest trend in microdosing involves taking small amounts of the popular weight-loss medications known as GLP-1s. GLP-1 drugs have revolutionized the way we treat Type 2 diabetes and obesity. The injectable medications…
-
7 Ways to Maintain Healthy Habits During the Holidays
Read More: 7 Ways to Maintain Healthy Habits During the HolidaysStop us if this sounds familiar: Youโve been working out and making healthy choices for months and then a whiff of pumpkin pie sends you into a stress spiral anticipating all the ways youโre going to destroy your progress over the holiday season. A lot of people have this mindset that indulging over the holidays…
-
What Is Intermittent Fasting?
Read More: What Is Intermittent Fasting?Medically reviewed by Isabel Smith, M.S., R.N., C.D.N. Youโve probably heard of intermittent fasting. There are hundreds of thousands of posts dedicated to the trend on social media, and celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and Cameron Diaz swear itโs how they maintain their fit physiques. Famous bods aside, the eating pattern has been linked to a…
-
Is the BMI BS?
Read More: Is the BMI BS?Are we saying goodbye to BMI? Body mass index (BMI) โ the measure of body fat based on height and weight โ has been around for decades. For years, your BMI has been used to determine whether youโre in a โhealthyโ weight range based on guidelines set by the World Health Organization. Since it was…
-
The Importance of Making Obesity Treatment Accessible
Read More: The Importance of Making Obesity Treatment AccessibleItโs always a successful day at the office for Fatima Cody Stanford, M.D., M.P.H.,M.P.A., when she can look at a patientโs chart, see a diagnosis of diabetes, high cholesterol or hypertension, and see progress in their health or resolution of a health concern. Shanna Tucker, M.D., an obesity medicine specialist at NYU Langone Health, has…
-
Is Obesity a Disease? Yes โ and the Medical Community Is Finally Recognizing That
Read More: Is Obesity a Disease? Yes โ and the Medical Community Is Finally Recognizing ThatMichelle,* a 42-year-old mother of two, has been living with overweight or obesity her entire life. Around third grade, Michelle said she remembers a shift in her parentsโ attitude toward her eating habits: They went from bribing or forcing her to eat to questioning whether she really needed seconds. Her mother, though smaller than Michelle,…
-
Thanks to TikTok, I Was Able to Afford the Anti-Obesity Medication That Changed My Life
Read More: Thanks to TikTok, I Was Able to Afford the Anti-Obesity Medication That Changed My LifeAs told to Jacquelyne Froeber When my sister turned 13, I bought her a ring that said, โI hope you dance.โ I cried the first time I heard that song. The lyrics said everything I wanted for my sister. I want her to be confident and strong. I want her to take chances and live…
-
Anti-Obesity Medications Are All the Buzz
Read More: Anti-Obesity Medications Are All the BuzzMedically reviewed by Holly Lofton, M.D. Until recently, obesity was thought of as a lifestyle choice, but itโs actually a chronic, complex disease. And many people living with obesity need treatment options to help manage it. By now, youโve probably heard of anti-obesity medications (AOMs) on the news or by following Oprah on social media.…
-
How to Support a Loved One Living with Obesity
Read More: How to Support a Loved One Living with ObesityMarch 4-8, 2024, is Obesity Care Week. Obesity can be a tough topic to talk about. Although more than 2 out of 5 people in the U.S. are living with obesity, stigma and weight bias โ negative thoughts and actions toward a person based on their weight โ are still very much part of the…
-
The Rise of Obesity Among Latinx People
Read More: The Rise of Obesity Among Latinx PeopleObesity is a disease with complex causes โ and culture and socioeconomic status can play a significant role. This is especially true in the Latinx community in the U.S., where nearly 8 out of 10 Hispanic women are living with obesity or overweight. And 1 in 4 Hispanic children between the ages of 6 and…
-
Living With Obesity as You Age
Read More: Living With Obesity as You AgeMedically reviewed by Kelynne J. Oristel, R.N., GNP, APRN, Ph.D. (hon.) Aging is the biggest risk factor for heart attacks, stroke, cancer, diabetes and other chronic health conditions. And obesity can make the aging process happen faster. That puts women who are living with obesity or overweight at even higher risk for mental and physical…
-
Obesity Throughout Different Life Stages
Read More: Obesity Throughout Different Life StagesObesity can affect our bodies differently as we age. While excess weight can negatively affect health at any age, obesity in midlife and beyond can speed up the aging process, leading to worse mental and physical health outcomes for many women. For instance, living with obesity can harm your mental health and increase depression. It…
-
The Risks of Obesity During and After Pregnancy
Read More: The Risks of Obesity During and After PregnancyShannon,* a mom of two now in her 40s, found some emotional challenges in dealing with the disease of obesity during her pregnancies, such as grieving for her lack of a โcuteโ baby bump. โNobody can tell youโre pregnant โฆ this was sad to me,โ Shannon said. โI see thin women and all their cute…
-
New Anti-Obesity Medications Are More Effective With Fewer Side Effects
Read More: New Anti-Obesity Medications Are More Effective With Fewer Side EffectsFor many people living with obesity, managing the disease will include a treatment plan that incorporates different tools at different stages in their weight journey. Take Michele Tedder, for example. Two years after initial success through weight loss surgery, Tedder, senior program manager at Black Womenโs Health Initiative and founder of Bariatrically Blessed, realized that…
-
Changing How We Talk About Obesity โ A Conversation With Dr. Sowa
Read More: Changing How We Talk About Obesity โ A Conversation With Dr. SowaConversations about obesity can be tricky for both healthcare providers (HCPs) and those seeking treatment for weight and obesity health concerns. Some women feel that their HCP uses language that implies judgment, while others may feel that their HCP doesnโt give them enough information to manage their weight. We reached out to Alexandra Sowa, M.D.…
-
Obesity Is a Complex Disease With a Variety of Treatments
Read More: Obesity Is a Complex Disease With a Variety of TreatmentsMedically reviewed by Dr. Holly Lofton
-
Cardiovascular disease, Chronic conditions, Heart disease, Heart health, Nutrition, Obesity, Preventive health, Weight management
Beer and Spirits Have More Detrimental Effects on the Waistline and on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Than Red or White Wine
Read More: Beer and Spirits Have More Detrimental Effects on the Waistline and on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Than Red or White WineBy Brittany Larsen, Iowa State University The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big idea Drinking beer and spirits is linked to elevated levels of visceral fat โ the harmful type of fat that is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and other health complications โ…
-
Want Fries โ or Feelings โ With That?
Read More: Want Fries โ or Feelings โ With That?While her infant daughter fought a neurological disorder in the hospital, Gabrielle Blawas fought a battle in her own head, sitting in her car in a fast-food parking lot. Fear for her daughterโs health steered Blawas straight to the fast-food restaurant after each hospital visit, where she ordered two full meals and ate them alone…
-
Chronic conditions, exercise, Healthy Eating, Nutrition, Obesity, Real women real stories, Weight Loss, Weight management
I Fought Generational Obesity by Creating My Own Road Map to a Healthier, Happier Life
Read More: I Fought Generational Obesity by Creating My Own Road Map to a Healthier, Happier LifeAs told to Marnie Goodfriend I canโt recall a single childhood memory that wasnโt affected by obesity. As a 101-pound kindergartener, I remember my mom being upset when my school sent home one of those little school pictures with my weight underneath it, and I was the only child whose weight had three digits in…
-
cancer, Cardiovascular disease, Chronic conditions, Diabetes, Heart disease, Heart health, Obesity, sleep, Weight management
Obesity and Other Health Conditions
Read More: Obesity and Other Health ConditionsDesign: Megan Schofield Medically reviewed by Dr. Alexandra Sowa
-
Access, Access to health care, Affordability, COVID-19, Health insurance, Obesity, Pandemic, Policy, Weight Loss, Weight management
Celebrating Every Body Requires Access to the Best Weight-Management Care
Read More: Celebrating Every Body Requires Access to the Best Weight-Management CareIf you’ve gained weight during the Covid-19 pandemic, you are not alone. A year into the pandemic, an American Psychological Association survey showed that 45% of women report undesired weight gain, with an average addition of 22 pounds. Gaining weight can make us feel insecure about our appearance or uncomfortable in pants we may have…
-
Coronavirus, COVID-19, Depression, exercise, Healthy Eating, mental health, Nutrition, Obesity, Parenting, Weight Loss, Weight management
Kids With Obesity Need Acceptance From Family and Friends, Not Just Better Diet Tips, to Succeed at Managing Their Weight
Read More: Kids With Obesity Need Acceptance From Family and Friends, Not Just Better Diet Tips, to Succeed at Managing Their WeightBy Amanda Harrist, Oklahoma State University and Laura Hubbs-Tait, Oklahoma State University Hundreds of programs over the past four decades โ from the removal of junk food from school vending machines to Michelle Obama’s โLet’s Move” campaign โ have tried to get kids in the U.S. to eat healthier food and exercise more often. But…
-
The Intersections of Weight Stigma, Mental Wellbeing & Health Disparities
Read More: The Intersections of Weight Stigma, Mental Wellbeing & Health DisparitiesThis briefing will educate Congressional staff and others on the negative consequences of weight stigma in the U.S. and ways the organization is tackling this issue through their Reclaim Your Wellness campaign in partnership with the Black Women’s Health Imperative. Hear from leading experts about your risk factors, how to talk to your healthcare provider…
-
Obesity Is a Disease That Can Be Managed in Many Ways
Read More: Obesity Is a Disease That Can Be Managed in Many WaysDesign: Megan Schofield Medically reviewed by Dr. Alexandra Sowa
-
Cardiovascular disease, Heart disease, Heart healthy recipes, Nutrition, Obesity, Weight Loss, Weight management
Heart Disease Is the Number One Cause of Death for Women
Read More: Heart Disease Is the Number One Cause of Death for WomenKim Lewis couldn’t shake a persistent cough. She’d been having trouble sleeping and had no energy. After six months, Lewis’ primary care provider (PCP) sent her to a lung specialist. Within minutes, the specialist sent Lewis to the hospital; he noticed that her lips were turning blue. Lewis insisted on driving herself and was lucky…
-
Body image, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Eating disorders, Fitness, Healthy Eating, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Self-Care, Weight Loss, Weight management
8 Ways to Manage Body Image Anxiety After Lockdown
Read More: 8 Ways to Manage Body Image Anxiety After LockdownBy Tracy Tylka, The Ohio State University Being able to socialize again may bring enthusiasm and a sense of normalcy โ but it may also increase anxiety over how your body might have changed. I am a psychologist who has studied body image for over 20 years, and I’ve seen how the COVID-19 pandemic could…
-
Access, Access to health care, Chronic conditions, Depression, exercise, Health care, Health care professionals, Health disparities, Healthy Eating, mental health, Nutrition, Obesity, Policy, Preventive health, Weight Loss, Weight management
Weight Stigma Is a Burden Around the World โ and Has Negative Consequences Everywhere
Read More: Weight Stigma Is a Burden Around the World โ and Has Negative Consequences EverywhereBy Rebecca Puhl, University of Connecticut Lazy. Unmotivated. No self-discipline. No willpower. These are just a few of the widespread stereotypes ingrained in American society about people who have a higher body weight or larger body size. Known as weight stigma, these attitudes result in many Americans being blamed, teased, bullied, mistreated and discriminated against.…
-
Coronavirus, COVID-19, exercise, Healthy Eating, mental health, Nutrition, Pandemic, sleep, Weight Loss, Weight management
How to โBuild Back Betterโ Health Habits After the Pandemic Year
Read More: How to โBuild Back Betterโ Health Habits After the Pandemic YearBy Claudia Finkelstein, Michigan State University The U.S. is in far different shape today than it was last Memorial Day, and many Americans are, too. According to a recent survey by the American Psychological Association, undesired changes in weight driven by pandemic stress are widespread: 42% of adults reported gaining weight, with a median weight…
-
Aging well, Alzheimer’s, Brain health, Fitness, healthy aging, Lifestyle, Menopause, Nutrition, Obesity, Perimenopause, Prevention, Preventive health, Weight Loss, Weight management
Keep Your Brain Healthy at Every Age
Read More: Keep Your Brain Healthy at Every AgeMedically reviewed by Rudy Tanzi, Ph.D. In honor of Women’s Health Month, we’re exploring the importance of brain health for women of all ages. Join HealthyWomen’s CEO Beth Battaglino and Dr. Gayatri Devi of Park Avenue Neurology for a Q&A on all things related to brain health on Instagram Live today at 11:45 am EDT.…
-
Family Meals Are Good for the Grown-Ups, Too, Not Just the Kids
Read More: Family Meals Are Good for the Grown-Ups, Too, Not Just the KidsBy Anne Fishel, Harvard University For all the parents feeling exhausted by the cooking, cleaning and planning of a million meals during the pandemic, there’s some good news. Commensality, or the sharing of food with others, is beneficial for your physical and mental health. Most parents already know that family mealtimes are great for the…
-
Going Back to the Office? The Colder Temperature Could Lead to Weight Gain
Read More: Going Back to the Office? The Colder Temperature Could Lead to Weight GainBy Kenneth McLeod, Binghamton University, State University of New York With millions of Americans vaccinated against COVID-19, many who have worked from home over the past year will be heading back into the office. Adjusting to new routines is challenging and can affect our health and fitness. We’ve been more sedentary or more active, gained…
-
Aging well, Alzheimer’s, Brain health, COVID-19, Fitness, healthy aging, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Weight Loss, Weight management
15 Minutes With Dr. Sanjay Gupta
Read More: 15 Minutes With Dr. Sanjay GuptaDr. Sanjay Gupta recently took time out from his hectic schedule to speak with HealthyWomen’s editor-in-chief, Jaimie Seaton. An award-winning journalist, CNN’s chief medical correspondent, professor of neurosurgery and practicing neurosurgeon, Dr. Gupta discussed his new book, “ Does Forgetting a Name or Word Mean That I Have Dementia? Racism Linked To Cognitive Decline in…
-
Fitness, Healthy Eating, Healthy living, Nutrition, Obesity, Real women real stories, Weight management
Representation Matters: Why I Decided to Start a Healthy Habits Instagram Account for Bigger Women
Read More: Representation Matters: Why I Decided to Start a Healthy Habits Instagram Account for Bigger WomenAs told to Gila Lyons Everything changed for me on Christmas Eve at my aunt and uncle’s house in 2017. I knew I’d been gaining weight in college, but I’d been too afraid to weigh myself for years. They had a scale at their house, and, heart racing, I stepped on. I was 298 pounds…
-
Fast Facts: Everything You Need to Know About the Thyroid
Read More: Fast Facts: Everything You Need to Know About the ThyroidJanuary is National Thyroid Awareness Month. Medically reviewed by Dr. Uzma M. Siddiqui. In the United States, approximately 20 million people have thyroid disease, and women are five to eight times more likely to develop a problem than men. Up to 60% of people with a thyroid condition are unaware of their condition since the…
-
COVID-19 Reveals How Obesity Harms the Body in Real Time, Not Just Over a Lifetime
Read More: COVID-19 Reveals How Obesity Harms the Body in Real Time, Not Just Over a LifetimeBy Cate Varney, University of Virginia The COVID-19 pandemic has thrust the obesity epidemic once again into the spotlight, revealing that obesity is no longer a disease that harms just in the long run but one that can have acutely devastating effects. New studies and information confirm doctors’ suspicion that this virus takes advantage of…
-
Constant Dieters Might Be Choosing the Wrong Way to Lose Weight
Read More: Constant Dieters Might Be Choosing the Wrong Way to Lose WeightBy Peggy Liu, University of Pittsburgh and Kelly L. Haws, Vanderbilt University The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big idea Dieters looking for a healthier substitute of their favorite high-fat food – such as a bag of potato chips – typically have two choices in the grocery aisle: a…
-
The Secret to Combating Perimenopause Weight Gain
Read More: The Secret to Combating Perimenopause Weight GainFor most of my mother’s life, she was able to keep to a healthy weight with little effort, but perimenopause changed that. She was surprised to see that she was gaining weight. My mom wasn’t alone in this. Weight gain during perimenopause is a concern for a lot of women. So I reached out to…
