Public health articles from across Nature Portfolio

Trajectories of obesity prevalence over the past 45 years reveal patterns of growth, plateau and decline that differ across high-, middle- and low-income countries.

The interplay between variants of human immune-system genes and strains of Epstein–Barr virus underpins differences in susceptibility to an uncommon throat cancer.

The identification of a receptor that is recognized by a subset of alphacoronaviruses provides insights into ‘spillover’ risk and pandemic potential.

Antibiotic shortages could be a significant public health concern, both due to limited access to effective treatments and potential impacts on drug resistance. Here, the authors use mathematical modelling to assess the impacts of an amoxicillin shortage on pneumococcal disease epidemiology and resistance.

Dilated cardiomyopathy is a major contributor to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide, with non-ischaemic aetiology reported in 30–40% of patients with heart failure. In this Review, Ramos-López and colleagues explore the complex epidemiology and genetic architecture of non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy, reflect on the challenges of accurately assessing its prevalence and discuss environmental factors that modify disease penetrance and phenotype.

Novignon et al. quantify unmet need for SARS-CoV-2 testing in urban Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Madagascar. They find that over 90% of people who should be tested are not, with the poorest quintile experiencing the highest unmet need and greatest barriers to testing access.

Dementia has been recognized as a noncommunicable disease in a recent United Nations political declaration, but it remains under-reported and will still be left behind if changes are not made to address mortality forecasts and if governments do not take dementia more seriously. The time to act is now.

The outbreak is only the third caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, for which there are no approved vaccines or therapeutics.

Nature staff discuss some of the week's top science news.

Ever since electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) were first marketed in 2004, they have been promoted as ‘tobacco harm reduction’ on the basis of the assumption that they are a less toxic way for smokers to consume nicotine. As detailed below, current evidence does not support this. E-cigarettes as actually used can increase harm and use should be discouraged.

Mental illness needs visibility more urgently than almost any other area of medicine and health care. A new award from Wellcome and Nature aims to raise its prominence.

Health-evidence reviewers reverse recommendation on a blood test that detects a biomarker of a common cancer after decades of controversy.