We are delighted to announce that the newest addition to the BMC series – BMC Obesity, launches today.

Tackling obesity is no small task and preventative treatment and managing the condition costs billions of pounds a year. Obesity is one of the major risk factors for many serious conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, various musculoskeletal disorders, and cancers, not to mention other associated debilitating respiratory conditions and psychological issues. To recognise the significance of this growing issue, the BMC series have today launched BMC Obesity, with the aim of further disseminating the work being done in this very important area.

BMC Obesity is broad scope and multidisciplinary and considers articles on all aspects of human obesity across the lifecourse. These include the prevention, causes, treatment, management, and implications of obesity, incorporating lifestyle, epidemiology, policy and community/environmental interventions, related approaches for weight loss and the prevention of weight gain, management of the condition including the use of drugs and surgery, and basic science relating to the causes and effects of obesity. Research from developing country contexts is encouraged and we hope that the journal will become a true interdisciplinary resource for all obesity researchers and practitioners.

Several articles have been published today, including the launch Editorial, a Q&A with Section Editor Philip McTernan on his thoughts on obesity research and how it is changing, and research by Alosco et al. on the links between high body mass index (BMI) and cerebral blood flow and volume in cases of heart failure. Please do visit the new journal’s website to take a look.

We are really looking forward to watching BMC Obesity grow into a reference point for all future obesity research and will also be attending the 12th International Congress on Obesity from the 17th to the 20th March in Kuala Lumpur, and the 74th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association from the 13th to the 17th June in San Francisco, to meet with speakers and delegates working in obesity and to chat about the journal further. We look forward to hopefully seeing you there.