Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT) in the UK is expanding a pilot on suicide prevention, using the Flow Neuroscience brain-stimulation headset, following remarkable early results.

A new study of identical twins has delved into how much genes and the environment impact mental health and the development of neurodiverse traits – useful insight for operators looking to better understand their customers.

With a mental health crisis among young people, how can the industry help? Kath Hudson asks the experts

Researchers at Cambridge University in the UK have found that obesity can have genetic origins, prompting calls for a new approach by fitness professionals

In honour of International Women’s Day, the Council of Europe’s Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS) is holding a roundtable on women’s health and sport.

Research by the UK’s University of Cambridge has concluded that obesity is a result of our genes and individuals have less power over their weight than we like to believe.

Unacknowledged trauma can make it hard to make lifestyle changes finds Kath Hudson

The growing use of weight loss drugs is creating a perfect storm for the sector, presenting opportunities and threats. Now is the time to act, says Liz Terry

According to a number of recent studies, semaglutide weight-loss drugs can be effective in treating depression, anxiety, dementia, addiction and some eating disorders.

Waist circumference-to-height ratio is a more reliable measure of obesity in children and adolescents than BMI according to a new study, published in Pediatric Research.

New research from the Children’s Health and Research Centre at the University of Exeter, UK, has found BMI is not accurate as a measure for children

Survivalist, Bear Grylls has partnered with four mental health heavyweights and former TV producer, Neil Smith, to create an app targeted directly at men. Mettle is designed to promote sleep, help people manage stress and improve mental focus.

Disruptions in the way the human brain links memory and appetite could help explain some disorders associated with obesity.

People might think they’re joining the gym to lose weight but according to ACE’s Dr Erin Nitschke dig deeper and you find it’s actually the other health benefits they want. She and eating disorder expert, Eva Musby, say it’s time to step away from diet culture and shift the focus to fun and adopting healthy lifestyle habits.

A £40m pilot for the delivery of weight loss drugs, such as Wegovy, is creating opportunities for the sector

The pandemic has prompted an escalation in eating disorders, with some sufferers over-exercising. Kath Hudson looks at how the industry can respond

Letters from Dr Bunmi Aboaba, David Monkhouse and Alastair Lomax

Bristol University has committed to embracing body positivity and rejecting diet culture. Should the rest of the fitness sector follow suit?

The Professor of behavioural medicine is proposing PACE labelling to show people how long they would need to walk or run in order to burn off calories eaten

With one in six people expected to suffer from some form of mental health issue each year, should our industry be training staff as mental first aiders?

Putting our nation’s mental health first

Young people whose “fat gene” is located in an unusual part of their chromosome chain are more likely to binge-eat, according to a recent study by researchers of The University of Queensland.

Kath Hudson offers an overview of the groups and schemes pitching to help tackle the UK’s obesity crisis

The Child Protection in Sport Unit is turning its attention to helping the leisure sector put safeguards in place

As part of the European Union (EU)-funded Inprofood project – which aims to bring together research, industry and civil society to figure out how to solve Europe’s food-related health challenges, including obesity and related diseases – Ecsite, the European network of science centres and museums, has created a PlayDecide discussion game.

Research from Us Girls shows body image is still a barrier to exercise for young girls, says programme manager Karen Keohane

A Mexican MP has tabled an initiative to change current law relating to the management of publicly owned sport and leisure facilities.