obesity

India has proposed banning junk food sales in school canteens and within 50 meters of school premises, as part of efforts to curb rising obesity and diabetes rates among children. The proposed rules would restrict children's access to unhealthy foods during and around the school day, reflecting growing official concern over childhood diet-related illness.

Stroke rates among younger adults have nearly doubled, according to a report highlighted by University of Cincinnati researchers. The increase in adults under around 55 marks a shift from stroke's traditional reputation as an older person's illness, and is drawing attention to rising rates of obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes as likely contributing factors. Health experts are urging younger people to monitor blood pressure and adopt healthier lifestyles to reduce their risk.

British fitness creator MattDoesFitness has published a documentary-style report after spending 48 hours in what is described as the UK's fattest town, exploring local food culture, health statistics and residents' attitudes to weight. The project has drawn large attention, with hundreds of thousands of viewers engaging with the content and debating obesity, public health and lifestyle issues in Britain.

Ultra-processed foods are industrially manufactured products typically high in sugar, salt, fat and additives, made with little or no whole food. A Q&A explainer outlines what qualifies as ultra-processed, how the classification works, and why these foods are increasingly linked in research to obesity, heart disease and other health problems, as scientists and health agencies debate how to define and regulate them.

ICBA Africa is advocating for evidence-based dialogue on low- and no-calorie sweeteners across the African continent, according to a piece published in African Business. The organisation's effort comes amid ongoing debate over the health effects of sugar substitutes and their role in addressing rising rates of obesity and diabetes in Africa.