Cutting-edge GLP-1 weight-loss drugs appear to help lower cancer risk even beyond the benefits from dropping excess pounds, a new study says. First-generation GLP-1 drugs like liraglutide (Saxenda) and exenatide (Byetta) were associated with a 41% lower risk of obesity-related cancers, compared with weight-loss surgery, researchers report in the journal eClinicalMedicine. “We do not yet fully understand how GLP-1s work, but this study adds to the growing evidence showing that weight loss alone cannot completely account for the metabolic, anti-cancer, and many other benefits that these medications provide,” lead researcher Dr. Yael Wolff Sagy from Clalit Health Services in Tel-Aviv, Israel, said in a news release. Newer generation, highly potent GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound might even convey a greater advantage in reducing cancer risk, but they weren’t studied in this report, researchers said. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs mimic the GLP-1 hormone, which helps control insulin and blood sugar levels, decreases appetite and slows digestion of food. For the new study, researchers tracked electronic health record data for more than 6,300 people 24 and older. All had obesity and type 2 diabetes and were treated with first-generation GLP-1 drugs or underwent weight-loss surgery between 2010 and 2018. Obesity and diabetes are both associated with an increased risk for many types of cancer, including breast, colon, uterus, liver, pancreatic, thyroid, stomach and ovarian cancers, researchers…  read on >  read on >

(HealthDay New) — Looking for a little uplift from Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” or “Happy” by Pharrell Williams? Or perhaps you’re in a reflective mood and would rather hear “Forever Young” by Alphaville or “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper. People turn to music to cope, and a new study focused on the COVID-19 lockdowns reveals that lyrics matter as much as melody when grappling with the feels. Listeners turn to lyrics to reflect their internal states, whether to process sorrow, feel less alone or give themselves a boost, researchers report in the journal Frontiers in Psychology. “This research offers a new perspective on how people use music not just for entertainment, but as a meaningful tool for emotional self-regulation,” researcher Roni Granot, an associate professor of musicology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel, said in a news release. “Lyrics embedded in music often give voice to emotions that are difficult to express — grief, remembrance, and hope among them,” she said. For the study, researchers relied on data gathered from an online poll of more than 5,600 people between June and November 2020, during the first wave of the pandemic. The people came from 11 countries severely affected by the epidemic — Argentina, Brazil, China, Colombia, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, the U.K., and the U.S. As part of the…  read on >  read on >

(HealthDay New) — Looking for a little uplift from Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” or “Happy” by Pharrell Williams? Or perhaps you’re in a reflective mood and would rather hear “Forever Young” by Alphaville or “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper. People turn to music to cope, and a new study focused on the COVID-19 lockdowns reveals that lyrics matter as much as melody when grappling with the feels. Listeners turn to lyrics to reflect their internal states, whether to process sorrow, feel less alone or give themselves a boost, researchers report in the journal Frontiers in Psychology. “This research offers a new perspective on how people use music not just for entertainment, but as a meaningful tool for emotional self-regulation,” researcher Roni Granot, an associate professor of musicology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel, said in a news release. “Lyrics embedded in music often give voice to emotions that are difficult to express — grief, remembrance, and hope among them,” she said. For the study, researchers relied on data gathered from an online poll of more than 5,600 people between June and November 2020, during the first wave of the pandemic. The people came from 11 countries severely affected by the epidemic — Argentina, Brazil, China, Colombia, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, the U.K., and the U.S. As part of the…  read on >  read on >

More U.S. teenagers are getting weight-loss surgery, despite the discovery of new drugs like Ozempic/Wegovy that help people drop pounds surgery-free, a new study says. Weight loss surgeries for teens increased 15% between 2021 and 2023, researchers reported earlier this month in The Journal of Pediatrics. Further, much of the increase in weight-loss surgery is due to its increased popularity among Hispanic and Black teenagers, groups disproportionately affected by severe obesity compared to white teens, researchers said. “The number of U.S. adolescents having access to this treatment that we know is safe and effective is the highest it’s ever been, and hopefully it’s the start of a positive weight loss journey that will get them to better health,” lead researcher Sarah Messiah, director of the Child and Adolescent Population Health Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center, said in a news release. About 9% of U.S. teenagers have severe obesity, increasing their risk of health problems like sleep apnea and heart, liver and kidney disease, researchers said in background notes. Metabolic and bariatric surgery is still considered the gold standard for sustained weight loss in teens and adults, researchers said, despite the advent of GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound. However, researchers said the drugs aren’t yet covered by Medicaid for obesity treatment in most states and have limited coverage through private insurance, making them tough…  read on >  read on >

More U.S. teenagers are getting weight-loss surgery, despite the discovery of new drugs like Ozempic/Wegovy that help people drop pounds surgery-free, a new study says. Weight loss surgeries for teens increased 15% between 2021 and 2023, researchers reported earlier this month in The Journal of Pediatrics. Further, much of the increase in weight-loss surgery is due to its increased popularity among Hispanic and Black teenagers, groups disproportionately affected by severe obesity compared to white teens, researchers said. “The number of U.S. adolescents having access to this treatment that we know is safe and effective is the highest it’s ever been, and hopefully it’s the start of a positive weight loss journey that will get them to better health,” lead researcher Sarah Messiah, director of the Child and Adolescent Population Health Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center, said in a news release. About 9% of U.S. teenagers have severe obesity, increasing their risk of health problems like sleep apnea and heart, liver and kidney disease, researchers said in background notes. Metabolic and bariatric surgery is still considered the gold standard for sustained weight loss in teens and adults, researchers said, despite the advent of GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound. However, researchers said the drugs aren’t yet covered by Medicaid for obesity treatment in most states and have limited coverage through private insurance, making them tough…  read on >  read on >