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New research links small sleep cuts to measurable changes in weight and daily activity

• Losing about 80 minutes of sleep each night for six weeks led participants to gain an average of one pound.

• People also became more sedentary during the period of reduced sleep, even after accounting for extra waking time.

• Researchers say consistently getting enough sleep may be an important part of maintaining a healthy weight.

Most people know that getting enough sleep helps them feel more alert the next day. But new research suggests that regularly cutting sleep short even by what may seem like a modest amount could also affect body weight.

Researchers at Columbia University found that adults who reduced their nightly sleep by about 80 minutes for six weeks gained an average of one pound and spent more time being inactive than when they followed their normal sleep schedule. The findings add to growing evidence that sleep is an important part of overall health, alongside nutrition and physical activity.

Our study shows that getting adequate sleep may help reduce the risk of weight gain and obesity-related conditions like heart disease and diabetes, researcher Marie-Pierre St-Onge said in a news release.

People tend to gain weight over the course of their adulthood, and obesity is a major risk factor for heart disease. But focusing on eating a healthier diet and getting more physical activity to offset weight gain is simplistic and can be difficult to maintain.

How the study worked

The study pooled data from two randomized crossover trials involving 95 adults ages 20 and older who were already sleeping at least seven hours per night and had elevated cardiometabolic risk. Rather than bringing participants into a sleep laboratory, researchers conducted the study while people lived their normal daily lives.

Each participant completed two six-week phases. During one phase, they maintained their usual sleep schedule. During the other, they delayed their bedtime by 90 minutes each night, resulting in an average loss of about 80 minutes of sleep.

Throughout both phases, participants wore wrist monitors that tracked their sleep and physical activity. Researchers also measured changes in body weight, waist circumference, body composition, and fasting levels of several hormones involved in regulating appetite.

What the findings mean for consumers

By the end of the sleep-restriction phase, participants had gained about one pound on average and were spending roughly 17 more minutes per day being sedentary.

Among men and postmenopausal women, sedentary time increased by nearly 30 minutes per day. Researchers found that participants remained less active even after accounting for the fact that they were awake longer.

While a one-pound increase over six weeks may sound small, the researchers say it could become more meaningful if similar sleep habits continue over months or years.

They also point to earlier work involving some of the same participants, which found that mild, chronic sleep restriction was linked to increased insulin resistance in women with elevated cardiometabolic risk and greater inflammation associated with heart health.

For consumers, the findings suggest that sleep deserves a place alongside healthy eating and regular exercise when thinking about long-term weight management. Although the study doesn't prove that improving sleep alone will prevent weight gain, it indicates that consistently getting enough rest may play a meaningful role in supporting overall health.

Though more research is needed to further understand how sleep restriction leads to weight gain, all of our findings suggest that insufficient sleep increases the risk of obesity-related conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease, St-Onge said.

Now we need to understand the health effects of improving sleep in those who fail to get adequate sleep on a regular basis.

The warning signs that could save your savings

• A convincing scam: Even CBS News correspondent Matt Gutman nearly fell for fraudsters posing as his bank.

• Watch for red flags: No legitimate bank will ask you to withdraw cash, keep a secret, or act immediately.

• Protect yourself: Hang up and call your bank using the number on the back of your card or via their official app.

Scammers are getting so convincing that even veteran journalists who regularly report on fraud can be fooled.

That's exactly what recently happened to CBS News chief correspondent Matt Gutman, who shared how he nearly fell victim to an elaborate bank scam after receiving what sounded like a legitimate fraud call.

The caller said they were from fraud protection at his bank and knew all of his personal details. The caller then claimed that hackers were targeting his account, and actually convinced him to head to his local bank to withdraw all of his money in cash as part of a supposed law enforcement "sting operation."

Fortunately, Gutman realized something was wrong before completing the transaction, avoiding what could have been a big loss. If he had withdrawn the cash, the scam probably would have ended with him being robbed in the parking lot or robbed elsewhere after leaving with the money.

The incident serves as a reminder that today's scammers rely less on obvious red flags and more on psychology, urgency, and stolen personal information.

Here are six smart ways to protect yourself.

1. Never trust caller ID

Scammers can now easily "spoof" phone numbers to make it appear like they're calling from your bank, credit card company, or even a government agency. Seeing your bank's name on your phone no longer means the call is legitimate.

Pro tip: Hang up and call the number on the back of your debit or credit card. Do not dial the number that just called you.

2. Treat urgency as a warning sign

Fraudsters want you to panic before you have time to think.

If someone says your money is in immediate danger and demands instant action from you, slow down for a moment. Real banks may alert you to suspicious activity, but they won't pressure you into making rushed financial decisions.

3. No legitimate bank will ask you to withdraw cash

This was the biggest red flag in Gutman's experience.

Banks do not ask customers to empty their accounts, carry around thousands of dollars in cash, or help catch criminals by participating in undercover operations. If someone tells you otherwise, it's almost certainly a scam.

4. Never keep secrets from your bank

Gutman said the caller instructed him not to tell bank employees about the situation because they might be involved.

That's a classic scam tactic.

Real fraud investigators want bank employees involved not excluded. Anyone telling you to keep a transaction secret is trying to prevent someone from stopping the scam.

5. Pause before taking action

One of the easiest ways to beat scammers is to create a delay.

Tell the caller you'll call back. Talk with a trusted family member. Visit your bank branch independently and explain what happened. A five-minute pause can save thousands of dollars.

6. Strengthen your defenses before scammers call

Don't wait until you're targeted.

Enable account alerts for large withdrawals and unusual transactions, use strong unique passwords for financial accounts, and turn on multi-factor authentication whenever available. Review your statements regularly so you can catch unauthorized activity quickly.

The bottom line

Today's fraudsters don't rely on bad grammar or suspicious emails anymore. They often sound polished, know personal details about you, and create believable stories designed to override your common sense.

The safest habit is simple: whenever someone contacts you about your money, end the conversation and contact your bank using a trusted phone number or its official mobile app. That one step can stop even the most sophisticated scam before it costs you a dime.

The company is seeking data for AI training

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Samsung Health users are being asked to consent to the use of their health data to train the company's AI models.

• A report claims users who decline the request could lose cloud syncing and backup for their health data, with Samsung warning previously synced data may be deleted unless retention is required by law.

• The policy, first highlighted by How-To Geek, has sparked criticism from privacy advocates who argue users are being forced to choose between privacy and a core app feature.

Samsung is rolling out a change to its Samsung Health app that some argue could force users to choose between protecting their personal health information and retaining one of the app's most important features.

According to a report by How-To Geek, some Samsung Health users are seeing a new prompt titled "Consent to the Use of Health Data for AI Training and Modelling." The notice asks users to allow Samsung to use a broad range of health information including activity data, sleep patterns, nutrition, body measurements, medication information, medical records, and menstrual cycle tracking to improve its artificial intelligence models. Some of that data may also be reviewed by humans as part of the AI training process.

The controversy isn't simply that Samsung is requesting permission to use the data. According to the report, users who refuse consent receive a warning that Samsung Health will no longer synchronize their data with their Samsung account. The notice also says that previously synchronized health data will be deleted unless Samsung is legally required to retain it.

That effectively ties cloud backup and syncing a feature many users consider essential to participation in Samsung's AI development efforts.

Samsungs position

Samsung has published a support page explaining how the data will be used. The company says approved health information will be used for "AI training and modelling, including human review," to improve Samsung Health algorithms and AI-powered features. The categories of information include wellness data such as step counts, sleep and nutrition, medication information, health records containing diagnoses and treatments, and menstrual cycle data.

Samsung shared the following statement with ConsumerAffairs: Samsung Health offers an optional consent to use health data for AI development. Users can withdraw this consent at any time. When consent is withdrawn, only the data collected for AI development will be deleted. Your existing health data will be retained so you can continue to use Samsung Health without interruption.

ConsumerAffairs noted that at least two comments posted to the Android Authority article take issue with the report, however, with the writers saying they opted out of sharing data and have seen no impact to their app.

Samsung is expanding AI throughout its health platform. Last month, the company announced a redesigned Samsung Health experience featuring AI-generated health insights, personalized wellness guidance and new algorithms designed to help users better understand their biometric data.

Researchers say many telehealth sites prescribe quickly with little clinician interaction

• A Yale "secret shopper" study found that most online GLP-1 vendors issued prescriptions with minimal clinician involvement.

• Researchers evaluated 49 websites to see how online prescribing worked in real-world conditions.

• The findings highlight concerns about patient oversight and the need for stronger safeguards when prescribing these medications online.

As demand for GLP-1 medications continues to grow, more people are turning to online telehealth platforms to obtain prescriptions without visiting a doctor's office. While these services can make treatment more accessible, new research suggests the process may not always include the level of medical oversight many consumers would expect.

A new Yale School of Medicine study, published in JAMA, examined how easy it is to obtain a GLP-1 prescription through direct-to-consumer websites. Researchers wanted to understand what the prescribing process actually looks like and whether patients receive meaningful clinical evaluation before these medications are approved.

We knew many people were accessing these drugs outside of insurance coverage, but we were surprised that the vast majority of these websites did not require communication with a clinician, first-author Ashwin Chetty said in a news release.

In some cases, the request was put in on a Monday evening, approved shortly after, and the prescription was delivered by Tuesday or Wednesday.

How researchers tested online GLP-1 providers

To evaluate the process, the Yale team conducted what is known as a "secret shopper" study. They created the profile of a 27-year-old man who met the criteria for receiving a GLP-1 medication and submitted prescription requests through 49 different websites between August and December 2025.

The researchers tracked how each website handled the request, including whether the patient was required to speak with a clinician, provide photos, complete questionnaires, or undergo additional screening before receiving a prescription.

They also noted whether the websites prescribed branded medications, compounded versions, or both, how quickly prescriptions were approved, and whether the medication was shipped directly to the patient.

What the findings mean for consumers

The researchers found that 45 of the 49 websites about 92% issued a GLP-1 prescription, while 34 websites, or roughly 69%, mailed the medication.

In many cases, the prescription was approved without any real-time conversation with a clinician, relying instead on online questionnaires. Some prescriptions were issued in five minutes or less, and researchers also observed instances where prescriptions were approved despite missing required photos.

According to the study authors, these findings suggest that some online prescribing platforms may prioritize speed over comprehensive clinical evaluation.

They also raised concerns about compounded GLP-1 medications, which are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and called for stronger patient protections, including more robust prescribing practices and clearer disclosure of the potential risks associated with compounded drugs.

These compounded products have never reached a clinical trial, and theyve had no FDA review, said researcher Resha Ramachandran, MD, MPP, MHS. The companies are creating new drugs and selling them across state lines. Its alarming that these medications which have not been tested on patients are being mass-produced and mass-marketed for profit.

As we're seeing telehealth platforms grow across the country, and replacing in-person healthcare access, telehealth needs to replicate the patient-clinician experience that happens in the real-world. It can't just be a pay-to-prescribe sort of platform. It needs to be a pay-for-appropriate-treatment platform.