BMI starting to plateau in rich countries; after gene therapy deaths, Astellas tries potentially safer approach

New data help explain the "obesity transition" around the world and point to the next set of problems, including much more severe obesity.

June 8, 2023 Check out STAT+

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ADOBE, Alex Hogan/STAT BMI is starting to plateau in rich Western countries. That doesn't mean obesity is solved New data help explain the "obesity transition" around the world and point to the next set of problems, including much more severe obesity. By Julia Belluz and J. Emory Parker STAT+ | Study finds supplements of amino acid taurine slow aging in mice and monkeys The study found that a lack of taurine could be to blame for a wide array of age-related symptoms in multiple species. By Damian Garde STAT+ | After gene therapy deaths, Astellas brings in potentially safer treatment for muscle disorder A gene therapy for a rare muscle disorder had remarkable results, but was also tied to four boys' deaths. A successor uses a much lower dose. By Jason Mast Yuki Iwamura/AP The Canada wildfires are exposing the harmful effects — and health inequities — of air pollution Bad air quality is already part of daily life in cities like Beijing — and climate change means that it's going to become increasingly common. By Isabella Cueto STAT+ | If AI invents a new medicine, who gets the patent? Pharma and biotech companies are increasingly using AI to discover and make medicines. Does that mean AI can be an inventor on a patent? By Brittany Trang STAT+ | Top Senate Republican signals interest in site-neutral reform for hospitals A top Senate Republican signaled his interest in pursuing hospital payment reform to ensure Medicare is paying the same price for services. By Rachel Cohrs Adobe Opinion: Why brain decoding is not mind reading — and why that matters I recently published research on decoding language from brain recordings. Here's how I'm thinking through the privacy implications. By Jerry Tang

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