Nutrition/Obesity

ACP Clinical Guideline on Treatments of Overweight or Obese Adults In July 2026, ACP published its first living clinical guideline addressing pharmacologic management of overweight and obesity in nonpregnant adults in outpatient settings. As this therapeutic area is rapidly https://t.co/5oQIY7J2Aw
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Obesity Journal Club https://t.co/CxAWoGBqpx

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Join us for the first of four webinars this month! This Journal Club will explore the TOGETHER PsA and STEP 9 trials, and what emerging evidence tells us about the complex relationship between obesity, weight loss and rheumatic disease. The authors and leading experts will: • https://t.co/xpnqim1VKH
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Why does obesity worsen Rheumatic disease?

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Appleton video still

Osteoarthritis, Obesity and GLP-1s

Tom Appleton, MD, PhD

We all know that osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in the world, and that obesity is its most modifiable risk factor. What I really want to focus on is the role that GLP-! receptor agonists might be playing in our management of osteoarthritis. So why does this matter?

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12 mos Danish study of 157 822 first-time semaglutide for obesity management (SOM) intiators. 77 483 discontinued treatment w/in 12 mos. (13% at 3 mo, 27% 6 mos, 39% @ 9 mos. D/C more likely in younger, men, low-income, on GI or psych meds, & pts with comorbididities. Few https://t.co/oJLnrxXFz0
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Join us for the first of four webinars this month! Our Journal Club explores the TOGETHER PsA and STEP 9 trials, and what emerging evidence reveals about obesity, weight loss and rheumatic disease. Featuring Drs. Philip Mease, Tom Appleton and Jack Cush. https://t.co/KkVJPyhKF1
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Why does obesity worsen Rheumatic disease?

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

QD Clinic: The Weight Behind Delay in Diagnosis Dr. Antoni Chan, London, discusses a case of a patient with ankylosing spondylitis whose weight delayed the diagnosis and treatment of AS. This QD Clinic is presented as part of RheumNow's "The Obesity Imperative" campaign, https://t.co/fDozAaX64j
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
NY Times reports Gallop poll: 15% Americans have used a wt-loss drug (11% currently taking) - up from 3% in 2024. These have been approved for use in NIDDM, weight loss, liver Dz, CV risk reduct. & sleep apnea. Also obesity in USA is fell to 36.4%, after peak of 39.9% in 2022. https://t.co/ghxUEcuoGr
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
guidelines.recommendations.jpg

ACP Clinical Guideline on Treatments of Overweight or Obese Adults

Jack Cush, MD

The American College of Physicians (ACP) in July 2026 published its first living clinical guideline addressing pharmacologic management of overweight and obesity in nonpregnant adults in outpatient settings. The guidelines importance is driven by striking epidemiology: 59% of the global

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Lupus Research Alliance has awarded >$2 million in 2026 awards to studying innovative lifestyle interventions for people living with lupus. This includes studies on ginger supplementation, physical activity, and a whole health online programs https://t.co/C45y9laeHN https://t.co/6ifbPMWNt9

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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BMI Affects JAK Inhibitor Responses in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Jack Cush, MD

A meta-analysis of Janus kinase (JAKi) inhibitors clinical trials in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has shown higher BMI was associated with poorer responses and a reduced treatment benefit with JAK inhibitors in RA patients.

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Korean National Health Insurance claims study of 4,107 newly Dx gout on allopurinol x 24 mos (vs non-gout controls). Gout significantly higher risk of fractures (aHR 5.52_; 95% CI 4.19–7.26), highest in those with low-adherence to allopurinol (aHR 5.91). Consistent trends seen https://t.co/cTO4lGtYAy
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Rheum Survey> What effect does obesity have on #Lupus pts?

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empty bed

Sleep and Obesity: A Bidirectional Relationship

Jack Cush, MD

In July 2026, JAMA concisely reviewed the bidirectional relationship between sleep health and obesity. Obesity affects roughly 40% of US adults and sleep problems affect nearly one-third. This review outlines the biological mechanisms and clinical interventions relevant to weight management.

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e-cigarette use assoc w/ a 1.5-fold incr risk of RA & SLE. All of Us Research prg matched 15,909 e-cig users vs nonusers. 66 new RA or SLE among current e-cig (IR 1.43/1,000PYs) vs nonusers (0.93/1,000PYs; IRR 1.54); applies to past or current smokers https://t.co/xYRezwQFYC https://t.co/pnNANfui4Y

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MASLD - Spanish review of 330 pts (101 psoriasis, 127 PsA, 102 controls) found metabolic-dysfunc-assoc steatotic liver Dz in 48% PsO, 32% PsA, 9% controls (p < 0.001). FibroScan tended higher in PsO 6.01 PsA 5.1 vs 4.9 controls https://t.co/wPxbLwVlOW https://t.co/ZtqYX5HPZa

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Systemic Burden of Gout https://t.co/OUgXMtH1bn https://t.co/1AtaFwZ2SR

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Air Pollution Increases RA Activity and Flares Koreans with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) showed increased disease activity and higher flare rates when exposed to relatively high levels of small atmospheric particulate matter, researchers reported. https://t.co/9dZkTzivRz https://t.co/Reic3P5U6r

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Korean study of 1070 #RA pts. assessed for Dz activity & monthly pollution exposure (SO2, NO2, ozone, CO, PM10, PM2.5). Among 6 pollutants, PM2.5 signif incr risk of flare (adj OR 1.11) & DAS28-CRP, CDAI, TJC, SJC; more so w/ in women & nonsmokers & w/ prolonged PM2.5 exposure https://t.co/HgtWMz9LMs
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Mentshlichkeit* (8.7.2026)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and recent journal reports on RheumNow.com.

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pollution,smoke

Air Pollution Increases RA Activity and Flares

MedPage Today

In this study from Korea, levels of small particulate matter correlated with increased RA disease activity and risk for disease flares.

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JAMA Review of Hip Fracture The July 16th edition of JAMA reviews the highly prevalent problem of hip fractures - a major global health burden: 14.2 million occur worldwide annually (280,000 in the US), with global incidence higher in women (833.9/100,000) than men https://t.co/TiiCjoq2Hj
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
💡 JAMA Insights: #SleepHealth and #obesity are linked, with insufficient sleep quantity and poor sleep quality associated with weight gain, less healthy diet, and incident obesity. https://t.co/SEj9dwNHiW https://t.co/JbPah4BwDr

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Recent Blogs

Comorbidities in RA: Focus on Difficult-to-Treat Disease

Elena Nikiphorou, MD, PhD
Puzzle pieces
The presence of comorbidities naturally complicates treatment choice, patient adherence to medication and patient outcomes, increasing also the risk of making RA ‘difficult-to-treat’.
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Comorbidities in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Precarious Stack of Blocks

Cynthia S. Crowson, PhD
stack of blocks

Comorbidities can pile up like a stack of blocks for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).  At the time when RA is diagnosed, they already have more comorbidities than their peers, and after RA diagnosis they accumulate comorbidities faster than their peers.

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Complementary and Alternative Therapies in Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis

Rachel Tate, DO
turmeric CAM
It’s been reported that approximately one-third to one-half of patients with psoriatic arthritis will try supplements and other complementary and alternative medicinal (CAM) practices without discussing with their rheumatologists.  Of those, nearly 90% of PsA patients using CAM report benefits!  Here is your updated review on common supplement data in psoriasis and PsA. 
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