Search | New Scientist

Do artificial sweeteners cause cancer and are there other concerns?

14 July 2023

Fresh concerns have been raised over the potential for the sweetener aspartame to cause liver cancer

Beyond Wegovy: Could the next wave of weight-loss drugs end obesity?

11 July 2023

Wegovy and Ozempic have made headlines, but a new wave of more effective drugs like Mounjaro have the potential to end obesity altogether. How will they work and are they safe?

Having an 'overweight' BMI may not lead to an earlier death

5 July 2023

A large US study has found that being overweight but not obese carried a slightly lower risk of dying within the study period than being a supposedly healthy weight

Everything you need to know about the drugs Ozempic and Wegovy

7 June 2023

The medicines, which contain the drug semaglutide, can help people who are obese or overweight to quickly lose weight

Countries such as the UK, Mexico and South Africa have a tax on sugary drinks

Taxing sugary drinks may not cut obesity as much as headlines claim

27 January 2023

A study has suggested that the UK’s 2018 sugar tax prevents 5000 cases of obesity among 10 to 11-year-old girls in England every year, but the picture may be rather more complicated than that

A nighttime view of Western Europe is captured by crew members aboard the International Space Station

Streetlights in Europe are getting bluer – that may be bad for health

14 September 2022

Photos taken by astronauts on the International Space Station show that streetlights are getting gradually more blue-tinged in many countries in Europe as they switch to energy-efficient LEDs

Male friends eating pizza with beer on street

Men may eat more in summer because sunlight makes them hungrier

11 July 2022

Sunlight hitting the skin seems to boost secretion of an appetite-boosting hormone in men, causing them to eat more in summer – but women aren't affected in the same way

Even a low level of light at night may disrupt your blood sugar

14 March 2022

Leaving even a dim light on while you sleep may disrupt blood sugar control, a small study in humans suggests

Spain, Andalucia, Jerez, Woman sleeping in bed, view from above.

Getting enough sleep may lower the amount of calories you eat

8 February 2022

When people who weren’t getting enough sleep took measures to sleep for longer, they ate fewer calories per day and lost weight without changes to their diet or exercise

Woman eating sandwich on London underground

Will a ban on snacking on public transport really help combat obesity?

10 October 2019

A proposal to ban snacks on public transport has appeared in a UK government report. But it doesn't seem based on evidence, and the government won't discuss it