diabetes

India has proposed banning junk food sales in school canteens and within 50 meters of school premises, a measure aimed at curbing rising obesity and diabetes rates among children. The proposal is part of broader tightening of food rules in schools, and it is drawing attention to concerns over children's health and the food industry's role in school environments.

The World Economic Forum argues that chronic disease should be treated as an economic problem as well as a health crisis, highlighting the strain long-term illness places on workforces, productivity and public finances. The framing suggests policymakers need to address conditions like diabetes and heart disease through economic policy, not just healthcare systems.

India's Supreme Court has rebuked the government over delays in setting a timeline for mandatory warning labels on packaged food products. The criticism puts pressure on authorities to move forward with front-of-pack labelling rules, a measure health advocates have long pushed for to combat rising rates of obesity, diabetes and other diet-related diseases in the country.

Eli Lilly has announced the Lilly Change the Course Commitment, a new initiative aimed at narrowing treatment gaps in diabetes and obesity care in low- and middle-income countries. The pharmaceutical company says the programme will focus on expanding access to treatment where need is greatest. Details on funding and specific country plans have not yet been widely reported.

Researchers at Michigan Medicine report new findings on lipodystrophy, a rare disorder in which the body lacks proper fat tissue, showing how the condition affects overall health beyond fat distribution. The work highlights links between lipodystrophy and metabolic complications such as diabetes and fatty liver disease, offering clinicians a clearer picture of why patients face elevated risks and how care might be better targeted.

The FDA has approved Onswik, a once-weekly insulin intended for adults with type 2 diabetes. It was not approved for type 1 diabetes. Coverage highlights what the clinical trials showed about effectiveness and the side effects patients should know about. The approval is drawing attention as a potential convenience shift for diabetes management, reducing injections from daily to weekly.

An obesity medicine doctor is addressing the growing trend of microdosing Ozempic, the diabetes drug widely used for weight loss, explaining the safety concerns and potential risks of taking lower-than-standard doses. The doctor notes there are limited situations where a low dose may be appropriate, but warns patients against adjusting medication on their own without medical supervision.

A functional medicine expert is cautioning that high doses of GLP-1 weight-loss and diabetes drugs may affect more than appetite, potentially disrupting other bodily processes beyond food cravings. The warning, reported by Fox News, adds to ongoing debate about the safety and long-term effects of medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy as their use continues to expand.

Major food companies in India are urging regulators to reconsider the red colour proposed for warning labels on packaged foods, Reuters reports. The industry argues the red symbol could stigmatise products, while health advocates support strong front-of-pack warnings to combat rising obesity, diabetes and high salt, sugar and fat consumption in the country.