How people could be identified for weight-loss jabs earlier than ever

Health & Fitness
30 Apr 2026 • 6:08 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

How people could be identified for weight-loss jabs earlier than ever

  • Scientists have developed a new scientific tool to predict which individuals are at high risk of developing serious obesity-related complications, including those who are overweight but not obese.
  • The tool, named Obscore, aims to complement traditional Body Mass Index (BMI) scores by offering a more accurate and personalised method to identify at-risk individuals for earlier monitoring and interventions.
  • Developed by academics from Queen Mary University of London and the Berlin Institute of Health, it utilised extensive data from 200,000 middle-aged adults in the UK Biobank study.
  • Researchers analysed over 2,000 health factors to identify 20 commonly collected health measures that can predict 18 different obesity-related complications.
  • The innovation seeks to assist the NHS and other health officials in prioritising individuals who would most benefit from weight-loss interventions, such as new medications, given finite resources.

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