Top stories

→ Health experts react to the Trump administration’s newly revamped food pyramid

→ Deadly superbug spreads across US as drug resistance grows

→ Common pain relievers may raise heart disease and stroke risk, doctors warn

On the lookout

→ Flu cases spiked in New York State again this week, sparking warnings from health officials

→ Not all cancers should be treated right away, medical experts say

Conversation starters

→ The shape of your butt is an indicator of key health risks — what does yours say about you?

→ Trending “analog bags” are being touted as replacements for smartphones

Healthy living

→ Experimental vaccine could save thousands of lives per year, scientist claims

→ Little-known prescription pill is helping Americans drink less alcohol

Quote of the week

“This is a big deal.” 

→ Elon Musk announced that Neuralink — the brain implant chip that allows users to communicate using their minds — will start “high-volume” production this year, calling the step a “big deal”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.

Use escape to exit the menu.

Big moves are continuing in the weight loss landscape in the new year following breakthrough research of GLP-1 medications and other methods.

Weight-loss experts spoke with Fox News Digital about their predictions for the most major changes to come in 2026.

No. 1: Shift to whole-body treatment 

Dr. Peter Balazs, a hormone and weight loss specialist in New York and New Jersey, shared that the most important shift is likely to label GLP-1 drugs as “multi-system metabolic modulators” rather than “simple weight loss drugs.”

MORE AMERICANS MAY BE CLASSIFIED AS OBESE UNDER NEW DEFINITION, STUDY SUGGESTS

“The treatment goal is no longer just BMI reduction, but total cardiometabolic risk mitigation, with effects now documented across the liver, heart, kidneys and vasculature,” he said.

“We are seeing a significant reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events … and progression of renal disease,” he went on.

Philip Rabito, M.D., a specialist in endocrinology, weight loss and wellness in New York City, also shared that “exciting” advancements lie ahead for weight-loss drugs, including GLP-1s and GIPs.

OLDER AMERICANS ARE QUITTING GLP-1 WEIGHT-LOSS DRUGS FOR 4 KEY REASONS

“These next‑generation agents, along with novel combinations that include glucagon and amylin agonists, are demonstrating even more impressive weight‑loss outcomes than currently available therapies, with the potential for better tolerability and sustained results,” he told Fox News Digital.

“There is also tremendous optimism around new federal agreements with manufacturers that aim to make these medications more widely accessible and affordable for the broad population of patients who need them most.”

No. 2: More convenient dosing

The typical prescription for a GLP-1 medication is a weekly injection, but delivery and dosing may be changing to more convenient methods in 2026, according to Balazs.

OPRAH JOINS WAVE OF CELEBRITIES WHO REVEALED DRAMATIC WEIGHT LOSS IN 2025

A daily 25 mg pill version of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, a semaglutide designed to treat obesity, is now approved and available for chronic weight management, offering a non-injectable option for some patients.

A once-weekly oral GLP-1 is currently in phase 2 trials, as well as an implant that aims for three to six months of drug delivery, Balazs noted.

No. 3: Less invasive surgery

In addition to decreased risk during surgery for GLP-1 users, Balazs also predicted that metabolic surgery without incision will rise as a better option.

“Incisionless endoscopic procedures — like endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (non-surgical weight-loss procedure that makes the stomach smaller from the inside) and duodenal mucosal resurfacing (non-surgical procedure that resets part of the small intestine to help the body better handle blood sugar) — [may become] more durable and widely available,” he said. 

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

“These offer significant metabolic benefits with shorter recovery and lower risk than traditional surgery.”

Rabito agreed that “rapid progress” in minimally invasive weight‑loss procedures is “opening powerful new options for patients who are hesitant to pursue traditional bariatric surgery.”

This avenue offers “meaningful and durable weight reduction with less risk, shorter recovery times and no external incisions,” the expert added.

Dr. Muhammad Ghanem, bariatric surgeon at the Orlando Health Weight Loss & Bariatric Surgery Institute, reiterated that surgery remains “the most successful modality for the treatment of obesity … with the highest weight loss and most durable outcomes as of yet.”

No. 4: Younger GLP-1 users

As Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy has been indicated for adolescents over 12 years old as an obesity treatment, Balazs commented that pediatric use of weight-loss drugs is “now a clinical reality.”

He predicted that other alternatives are likely to be approved in 2026 for younger users.

No. 5: High-tech, personalized access

Amid the growth of artificial intelligence, Balazs predicted an expansion in the clinical implementation of AI-driven weight-loss methods.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

This could include categorizing obesity into sub-types like “hungry brain,” “emotional hunger” and “slow burn” to personalize how therapy is prescribed while moving away from “trial and error,” he said.

Ghanem agreed that there will likely be a “big focus” on individualized testing for causes of obesity in 2026, as it’s a disease that can have “different causes in different people,” thus requiring different treatments.

The doctor anticipates that more patients will seek combinations of comprehensive treatments and programs.

“Patients are more aware that now we have a few weapons in our arsenal to combat obesity, and [they] are seeking a multidisciplinary and holistic approach,” Ghanem said.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

Treatment options will also turn digital with the rise of prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) for weight loss, Balazs predicted.

“These are software applications delivering cognitive behavioral therapy, personalized nutrition and metabolic coaching through algorithms, often integrated with continuous glucose monitors, and reimbursed as medical treatments,” he said.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Ghanem added that body composition analyzers, like DEXA scans, will likely be more widely used as awareness grows about the limitations of BMI and weight in assessing obesity.