BMC Medicine is calling for submissions to our new Collection on the challenges and opportunities in obesity treatment. As we advance our collective understanding of obesity treatment, future opportunities abound. Recent advances in pharmacotherapy, particularly with GLP-1 agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors, offer novel avenues for managing weight and metabolic health. The rise of telehealth provides new methods for delivering care and support. These technological advances facilitate ongoing engagement and accountability in weight management, especially for individuals in remote or underserved areas. Addressing the multifactorial nature of obesity requires a comprehensive strategy that considers biological, behavioral, and environmental factors. This Collection aims to foster discourse among researchers, clinicians, and policymakers about effective intervention strategies, while also considering the social determinants that contribute to obesity disparities.

Medications such as GLP-1 agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors have significantly changed the landscape of obesity treatment by facilitating weight loss or contributing to diabetes management, while also protecting various organ systems and reducing risks for other diseases. Emerging evidence points to potential other suitable indications of such medications, for instance in treating substance addiction. Such innovations highlight the potential of various obesity interventions to offer health benefits, although challenges in offering and maintaining these benefits remain.

Additionally, understanding health equity in obesity treatment is pivotal. Research has shown that socioeconomic status, education, and access to healthcare significantly influence individual and community health outcomes. The interplay between social determinants and obesity underscores the necessity of interdisciplinary approaches that bridge clinical research and public health perspectives.

To support sustained efficiency of treatment, emerging evidence investigates how behavioral science and effective obesity medicine can be integrated for maximum treatment effect and sustainability at scale. Research in nutrition continues to evolve, allowing for a more holistic approach to weight management, recognizing how the quality of food impacts overall health outcomes. Ongoing research is underway to better characterize how access to quality nutrition, characteristics of food environments and personalized nutrition strategies may optimize therapeutic interventions, potentially leading to more sustainable weight management solutions. Addressing nutritional barriers and enhancing food environments can further empower individuals to make healthier choices.

Physical activity remains a cornerstone in obesity treatment. The integration of structured exercise interventions alongside dietary changes enhances weight loss and overall health. However, barriers to physical activity, such as time constraints, safety concerns, and lack of access to suitable facilities, must be systematically addressed through community-wide initiatives and policy changes. Future research on innovative strategies to promote physical activity, exploring the use of technology and community engagement to motivate healthier lifestyles is invited.

Moreover, it is crucial to consider the long-term sustainability of obesity treatment approaches. The rise of telehealth can facilitate ongoing engagement and accountability in weight management, especially for individuals in remote or underserved areas. Future studies may explore the efficacy and challenges of digital platforms in delivering personalized interventions and the potential for remote monitoring to enhance adherence and outcomes.

This Collection invites contributions that explore these critical themes. Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

• Opportunities and challenges of pharmacological/surgical innovations for obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders and other related non-communicable diseases (NCDs)
• Challenges and advantages in integrating behavioral science and pharmacological treatment
• Health equity in obesity management such as differences in treatment effects and access to obesity medications
• Access and barriers to physical activity and nutrition interventions
• Long-term sustainability of treatment approaches
• Telehealth and technology in obesity management
• Community-based approaches to obesity treatment
• Personalized treatment strategies
• Impact of obesity treatments on other health outcomes

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

BMC Medicine invites submissions to a new Collection focused on the interplay between cardiac immunity and inflammation. We welcome original research, translational studies, and comprehensive reviews that elucidate the underlying mechanisms, clinical consequences, and therapeutic opportunities arising from immune-cardiac interactions. By highlighting the importance of this link, we aim to foster collaboration and advance our understanding of how to improve patient outcomes in heart disease.

The intersection of immunity and cardiovascular biology represents a transformative frontier in modern medicine. Recent studies have highlighted the role of immune responses in various heart conditions, including myocarditis, cardiac xenotransplantation, and heart failure. Inflammation is increasingly recognized as a contributing factor to the pathogenesis and residual risk factor of cardiovascular diseases. This Collection aims to explore the mechanisms by which immune responses influence cardiac function, the role of clonal hematopoiesis and heart disease, and the implications of such interactions for cardiac outcomes.

Understanding cardiac immunity and inflammation is crucial for developing more targeted therapies and accurate CVD risk prediction. Past advances provided insights into the inflammatory processes involving cardiovascular conditions, leading to innovative approaches for diagnosis and treatment. For instance, the identification of biomarkers such as C-reactive protein enhances our ability to assess inflammation in patients with cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, the intersection of cardio-oncology has opened new avenues for research into how cancer therapies influence cardiac immune responses, emphasizing the need for a multidisciplinary approach to patient management.

Continued research in this field holds promise for unveiling drug discovery targets and strategies to mitigate inflammation-related cardiac damage. As we deepen our understanding of the immune mechanisms at play, we may see the development of more clinically relevant models of human disease and precision medicine approaches tailored to individual patients. The integration of this knowledge with advancements in technology, such as biomarker discovery and imaging techniques, could revolutionize the way we approach cardiac care.

Topics of interest include (but are not limited to):

• Role of immunity in cardiovascular biomedicine
• Systemic and cardiac-specific inflammatory pathways
• Residual inflammatory risk, e.g. “SMuRF-less but inflamed”
• Cross-organ communication and immune crosstalk
• Structural and functional cardiac remodeling driven by inflammation
• Novel biomarkers and prediction models
• Clonal hematopoiesis
• Cardio-oncology & therapy-induced immune modulation
• The role of immunity in cardiac xenotransplantation including partial heart transplantation
• Exposome/environmental exposures
• Epigenetic regulation of cardiac immunity and inflammation
• Immune memory and trained immunity in cardiovascular contexts
• Multi-omics integration (epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics) in cardiac disease

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well Being).