Metabolism plays a big role in our health, it’s not just about helping your digestive system work smoothly, but the way your body breaks down the food and helps nutrients get absorbed into the body that matters. But often due to one reason or the other, your metabolism can slow down, which then causes issues with people. Many people think that the reason they may be gaining weight could be because of their poor metabolism, so how does one go about fixing this issue and how do you even know that the fault lies with your metabolism.

To understand why your metabolism may be slowing down, we must understand what role it exactly plays. Metabolism is the process your body uses to turn food into energy. It's essential for everything from breathing and digestion to keeping you warm. Several things affect how fast your metabolism works, including your genes, health, and lifestyle. A slow metabolism means your body burns fewer calories, which can lead to tiredness, dry skin, weight gain, and cravings.

Why Does Your Metabolism Slow Down?

There can be many reasons why your metabolism may be slowing down. You inherit some of it, and it tends to slow down as you age, often due to changes in your body and less muscle. Men and women have different metabolisms because of body size, makeup, and hormones. What you eat matters too – not enough healthy food or a very low-calorie or high-fat diet can slow it down. A lazy lifestyle, lack of sleep, and stress can also make your metabolism sluggish. Certain health problems like diabetes or an underactive thyroid, and even environmental factors, may also play a role.

Signs You Need To Improve Your Metabolism

While these are some common signs, it is best to visit a healthcare professional and ask for their opinions before you try a solution. There are many underlying reasons as to why you are experiencing slow metabolism, it can also be a side-effect of some medicine. A healthy lifestyle goes a long way, especially for people who already have digestive issues, kidney or even mental health issues like stress and anxiety.

Constant Fatigue

Feeling tired all the time, even without a good reason, could mean your metabolism is slow. A slow metabolism means your body breaks down food into energy slowly, leaving you with low energy levels. You might feel sluggish or get tired easily throughout the day. Changes in what you eat or your body composition (how much fat and muscle you have) can also make you feel more tired.

Dry Skin

Dry skin is common in winter, but if you have it all the time, it could be a sign of a slow metabolism. Thyroid hormones help control your metabolism and also keep your skin hydrated. If your thyroid isn't working right and your metabolism is slow, your skin might get very dry.

Weight Gain

If you're eating healthy and exercising but still gaining weight, a slow metabolism could be the problem. A slow metabolism doesn't turn food into energy quickly, so you burn fewer calories. Extra calories are stored as fat, making it hard to lose weight.

Feeling Cold

Feeling cold even when it's not cold outside can be a sign of a slow metabolism. Your body generates heat through metabolism. If your metabolism is slow, your body temperature might be lower. Some studies show that people with an underactive thyroid or obesity may have lower body temperatures because of a slow metabolism. This can be because of problems with thyroid hormones, which help your body make heat.

Food Cravings

Craving sugary or fatty foods can be a sign of a slow metabolism. Studies show that cravings are related to metabolic health. This is especially true for people who don't eat enough healthy foods, have bad eating habits, or have low muscle mass and high fat mass. Cravings might also mean your body isn't getting enough energy from the food you eat, so it wants more energy.

Mood Swings

Everyone has mood swings sometimes. But if you have them often, it could be from a slow metabolism. Low energy and hormone problems that come with a slow metabolism can make you irritable and frustrated. Some older research also suggests a link between mental health issues and a slow metabolism.

Digestive Problems

Digestion and metabolism are connected. Digestion breaks down food, and metabolism turns it into energy. If your metabolism changes, like slowing down, it can affect your digestion. A slow metabolism can cause constipation, bloating, or diarrhea.

Beyond lung cancers, air pollution fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is increasing mortality for breast as well as liver cancers, according to a global study led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), including researchers from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The important study showed that long-term exposure to PM2.5 increases the overall risk of developing cancer and the chances of dying from it compared with those living in cleaner environments.

For every 10 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m³) increase in PM2.5 exposure, the overall risk of cancers increases by more than 11 per cent. At the same time, the risk of death also increases by more than 12 per cent for every 10 µg/m³ increase in PM2.5 exposure.

The researchers argued that while other common risk factors like tobacco and alcohol are being targeted with notable progress, air pollution is silently eroding the gains being made.

“We have made huge strides in reducing deaths from cancer, but polluted air is silently undermining that progress. It is a risk people cannot opt out of, and one that disproportionately affects women, children, and people living in poverty,” Cary Adams, CEO, UICC.

“The cancer community continues to make progress in addressing other major risk factors, including tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and viral, bacterial, or parasitic infections such as HPV and HBV that cause cervical and liver cancers. It is increasingly clear that air pollution must also be recognized as a major and preventable factor that increases the risk of developing cancer and of dying from the disease,” added Dr Elisabete Weiderpass, Director, IARC.

Risks of PM2.5: Beyond Lung Cancer

The study, based on data from 42 meta-analyses and systematic reviews published between 2019 and 2024, showed significantly strong associations for liver, colorectal, and breast cancers.

As per recent data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), PM₂.₅ exposure contributes to 434,000 lung cancers per year, accounting for more than a quarter of preventable lung cancers in women and nearly one in six in men.

In addition to lung cancer risk, the study noted that the rising levels of PM2.5 are associated with

• a 32 per cent higher incidence of liver cancer
• an 18 per cent increase in the odds of developing colorectal cancer.

• a 12 per cent higher overall risk of dying from cancer,
• a 20 per cent higher risk of death from breast cancer,
• a 14 per cent from liver cancer,
• a 12 per cent from lung cancer.

Who Is At A Higher Risk

According to the researchers, people living in low- and middle-income countries bear the greatest overall burden. These countries frequently lack the resources to reduce pollution at source or to provide timely access to cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

The challenge is compounded by the projected rise in global cancer cases, expected to increase from 20 million in 2022 to 35 million by 2050. People at risk include:

• Women and children, particularly in settings where solid fuels are used for cooking and heating.
• Women exposed to household air pollution face a 69 per cent higher risk of lung cancer, alongside increased risks of cervical cancer.
• Outdoor workers and communities living near industrial facilities are also at heightened risk, with exposure often concentrated in economically deprived areas.

What Actions Are Required?

The researchers underscored that the evidence presented in the report is already sufficient to justify decisive action to reduce exposure to polluted air. They called upon policymakers to make required changes across energy, transport, industry, and urban planning to reduce the risk of cancer from air pollution.

The study urged the need for properly implementing effective interventions that are well-established. These include:

• Stronger emissions standards and enforcing the WHO air quality Standards
• A transition to clean energy and clean cooking
• Improved urban design by investing more in green infrastructure
• Expanded air-quality monitoring in High-Risk Areas
• Update cancer control plans.

The U-WIN (Universal Immunization Win) platform has been transformative and has helped India tackle the concerning burden of zero-dose children, said Dr NK Arora, an immunization expert and member of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation in India (NTAGI).

In an exclusive conversation with HealthandMe during World Immunization Week 2026, Dr Arora, Executive Director of The INCLEN Trust International, traced the journey of the U-WIN portal and explained how it has strengthened vaccine uptake in the country.

U-WIN is a digital platform and app to help people find vaccination centers near their residences, manage vaccination appointments at health facilities, and maintain vaccination records.

Dr Arora noted that the U-WIN portal created a digital ecosystem that played a critical role in registration, appointment scheduling, vaccine tracking, and real-time monitoring.

The Origin Of U-WIN

U-Win was launched in October 2024 and is available in 12 languages, including English.

Dr Arora, also the chair of the COVID-19 and HPV vaccine working group, shared that during the deadly COVID pandemic in 2020—around July—it became very clear that to vaccinate 140 crore people, some kind of IT platform is needed that will track individuals who had been vaccinated, especially when they needed their second dose, and later, booster doses.

“Everything started somewhere around July 2020, and by January 2021, we had the Co-WIN platform. By mid-April, things were streamlined. The platform gives us a long list of individuals who have been vaccinated. It also helps to know who has been left out of the vaccination.

“It is like a registry of human beings who are getting immunized. And we could send reminders, we could send certificates, and we can also tell the individual when to get their second and third dose,” the expert said.

He noted that as COVID became less intense toward the end of 2021, serious discussions began on using the same platform for routine immunization. This is where the concept of U-WIN came in 2022. It has now been piloted and is gradually being used.

U-WIN: Closing the Gap For Missed and Zero-Dose Children

The UWIN now has the mechanism to ensure that immunization is completed for everyone who registers. One user can register up to 10 people in one mobile number, including citizens/guardians, pregnant women, infants (0-1 years), children (1-7 years), and adolescents (7-19 years).

“The key issue is that tracking provides two or three important inputs. First, it ensures that everyone is getting vaccinated and that it is not dependent on memory. There is a proper record—whether a person or child has received vaccines and what their current status is, including whether the schedule is complete,” Dr Arora said.

“Second, one of the main reasons for missing or delaying the next dose was that mothers often did not remember. Fathers contributed very little to this process, but they also became involved because of the reminder system,” he added.

Another important role of U-WIN is tackling the so-called zero-dose children—those who have never been vaccinated.

“About 4–5 per cent of our eligible population falls into this category, meaning they have not received even the first pentavalent dose. On the face of it, 4–5 per cent may not seem like a huge problem. But when we look at the absolute numbers—out of 26 million—it translates into a very large number, which we cannot afford to miss. So tracking helps identify these children through the micro-plan system”.

U-WIN Enables Life-course Immunization

Also read: World Immunization Week: Vaccines Are Like Insurance, They’re Safe—Take Them, Says Dr NK Arora

“When a child is vaccinated, we know when boosters are due—at one and a half years, then at five years. But none of us remembers this. Even among well-informed parents, this is often forgotten. This system helps address that gap,” Dr. Arora said.

Further, when the same individual becomes eligible for vaccines like HPV—typically between 9 and 14 years—there is again a gap that needs to be addressed.

Certification is another benefit, as it creates a documented process, particularly for programs like oral polio vaccination.

Dr. Arora highlighted that in case of any future pandemic-like situation that requires repeated vaccinations, “we have a mechanism in place”.

“This IT platform has truly transformed the system. There is also a lot of discussion about using similar platforms for TB patients, pregnant women, and other flagship programs like non-communicable diseases. So, for India, digitalisation is at its best when we talk about U-WIN.”

Summer can invite a plethora of health problems in children. Moreover, dehydration is commonly seen when the body loses more fluids than it takes in. It is important to understand that early or subclinical dehydration can present as fatigue, irritability and reduced appetite, often going unnoticed by parents. Hence, parents need to detect the signs and symptoms of dehydration in children and seek timely help. Parents should follow the vital measures suggested by experts and safeguard their well-being.

Are children more prone to dehydration in a heatwave?

Dr Tushar Parikh, Senior Consultant Neonatologist and Head of Department at Motherhood Hospital, Kharadi, Pune, in an interaction with Health and Me, spoke about dehydration in children and how parents can identify it promptly.

“As temperatures rise during the summer months, dehydration becomes a common yet often overlooked problem in children. Dehydration occurs when the body does not have enough fluids to function properly. The causes can include inadequate fluid intake, sweating, prolonged outdoor play, and illnesses such as fever, vomiting and diarrhoea,” Dr Parikh explained.

Children are at a greater risk of dehydration as fluid loss occurs quickly through sweat. Severe dehydration is easier to identify, but early or ‘subclinical’ dehydration often goes unnoticed, silently affecting a child’s health and behaviour. Parents may assume that their child is simply tired or irritable due to the heat, but these could be early warning signs of fluid imbalance. Dehydration is often the last thing that comes to mind. However, it is frequently considered a minor issue in children. Subclinical dehydration refers to mild fluid loss that does not show obvious signs, such as extreme thirst, but still affects the body.

What are the symptoms of dehydration in children?

Dr Parikh stated that many children exhibit symptoms such as tiredness, irritability and poor appetite. They may also complain of headaches, feel dizzy, or show reduced concentration while studying. Another important sign is decreased urination or darker urine, which often goes unnoticed. Over time, if not addressed, this mild dehydration can impact energy levels and mood, and may become severe, requiring hospital admission. Hence, parents must take charge of their child’s health and seek timely attention even for mild dehydration.

How can parents help children when they are dehydrated?

Dr Parikh shared some simple tips that can help beat dehydration in childre. The expert said that dehydration can be prevented in children by encouraging them to drink water regularly. Children should ideally consume at least 2–3 litres of water daily, along with coconut water, buttermilk and fresh fruit juices to stay hydrated. Parents can also include foods such as watermelon, oranges and cucumbers, which help maintain hydration. It is advisable to limit junk, oily, canned and processed foods. Children should avoid playing outdoors during peak heat hours. Parents should dress their children in light, loose cotton clothing, which helps reduce sweating. Monitoring urine colour and frequency can be a simple way to assess a child’s hydration status. Parents should adhere to these tips to prevent dehydration in children.