Body odor is natural part of human physiognomy, while some people may experience less of it, it can be stronger in others. This odor is not uniform throughout your body, certain body part smell more, like your armpits, groin and feet. The Cleveland clinic explains that this smell is due to bacteria and smell on your skin. Your body odor can also change if you are on medication, or ate a certain food or even experience some hormonal changes.

Similarly, It's common for belly buttons to have a slight odor, but sometimes it can become noticeable and unpleasant. While a little smell is often nothing to worry about, a strong, foul odor, especially when combined with other symptoms, could be a sign of a more serious problem. It's important to understand the possible causes of a smelly belly button so you can take the right steps to address it. Knowing when to simply clean it better versus when to seek medical help is key to keeping yourself healthy.

Possible Causes of Belly Button Odor

If your belly button smells bad and you also have redness, swelling, pain, or bleeding, you should see a doctor. These symptoms could be a sign of an infection that needs medical treatment Here are some reasons why this may be happening.

Not Cleaning It Well

Just like any other part of your body, your belly button needs regular cleaning. If you skip cleaning it with soap and water, things like dirt, sweat, and natural oils can build up inside. As explained above, his buildup creates a breeding ground for bacteria, which can lead to a musty or unpleasant smell. This is especially true if you have a deep belly button, as it has folds and crevices that are harder to reach and clean properly. A deep belly button is a warm, damp place, which is exactly what bacteria love.

Stuff Getting Stuck

Even if you take regular showers, your belly button can still collect things like dead skin cells, lint from your clothes, and other small pieces of debris. WebMD explains that these things can get trapped inside, and when mixed with moisture from sweat or water, they can start to smell bad. Sometimes, these things can clump together and form a hard, smelly lump called a navel stone. This stone can be quite smelly, even though it's usually not painful.

Bacterial Infections

We all have bacteria on our skin, but sometimes they can cause infections. According to WebMD if bacteria get inside your belly button, especially through a small cut or scratch, they can multiply and cause an infection. Infections like impetigo and cellulitis can cause redness, swelling, pain, and pus, along with a bad smell. People with weak immune systems or poor blood flow are more likely to get these infections. If these infections are not treated, they can lead to serious problems, so it's important to see a doctor.

Yeast Infections

Yeast, which is a type of fungus, can also grow in your belly button, especially if it's warm and moist. According to the Cleveland Clinic a common type of yeast is Candida. Yeast infections can cause a sour, bread-like smell, along with redness and itching. Sweating a lot, wearing tight clothes, or taking antibiotics can increase your risk. People with diabetes or weak immune systems are also more likely to get yeast infections. These infections usually go away with antifungal creams, but it's important to keep the area dry to prevent them from coming back.

Cysts

Cysts are small, fluid-filled bumps that can form under the skin. They can happen when dead skin cells and oils get trapped in your belly button. Most of the time, these cysts are harmless and don't cause any problems. But sometimes, they can become infected, which can cause them to swell, become red, and release a gray or white discharge with a cheesy smell. If a cyst gets infected, it might need to be drained by a doctor.

Piercings

If you have a belly button piercing, it's very important to keep it clean. If you don't clean it properly, bacteria can build up around the piercing and cause an infection. Signs of an infection include pain, redness, swelling, and smelly pus. If the infection is not treated, it can spread to your bloodstream and cause serious health problems. Cleaning your piercing regularly with warm, soapy water can help prevent infections.

1 in every 8 child in Kolkata school between the age of 12 to 16 is obese. A new study conducted in Kolkata schools by a global obesity awareness organization revealed this data. Wednesday, the same day as Holi in India, was also the World Obesity Day. In Kolkata, the issue is concerning, especially when children are at the center of it. The Howrah bridge also lit with blue and yellow lights, the colors to symbolize obesity awareness.

What Did The Study Reveal About Obese Children?

An initiative by METTA Dana Foundation, a global academic outreach organization with its focus on childhood obesity revealed the rising case of childhood obesity in Kolkata. "Childhood obesity is rising rapidly, with the prevalence among school-aged children increasing from 4% in 1975 to almost 20% in 2022," said Debashis Basu, endocrinologist and chairman of METTA Dana Foundation. This is seen as a five-fold increase over five decades.

Basu further said, "The rise is sharpest in low-and-middle-income countries like India and Bangladesh. Childhood obesity often continues into adulthood, increasing the risk of serious non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers." Basu also said that 13 per cent of such cancers are related to childhood obesity.

He said that early signs of chronic diseases are already appearing in children. He also noted that around "a fourth of Kolkata's children are diabetic or are in a pre-diabetic stage".

Obesity In Young People

Globally, as per a Lancet study, more than half of all adults and a third of children and adolescents will become overweight by 2050. The study also notes that obesity is becoming a bigger concern and it could impact around 21.8 crore men and 23.1 crore women in India.

In fact, India is projected to have world's second highest number of obese kids and adolescents, aged between five and 14 years. This means around 16 million boys and 14 million girls could be overweight.

One of the biggest challenges of being overweight is diabetes, as Basu also noted. In a previous conversation with Health and Me Dr Mayank Lodha Seth, chief pathologist at Redcliffe Labs, noted that diabetes is no longer a disease of aging, young people, including teenagers too are affected.

Also Read: Diabetes No Longer A Disease Of Aging; Four Things Youth Should Know About It, According To Doctor

"We took this initiative to revive it [World Obesity Day] this year with support from National Institute of Nutrition. India is beginning to face the triple burden of malnutrition, stunting and wasting, micronutrient deficiencies, and obesity- often coexisting in the same family or the same person in various stages," said Basu.

Why Is India Facing A Crisis In Youth Obesity?

According to UNICEF’s Child Nutrition Global Report 2025, obesity, for the first time, surpassed underweight globally as the most common form of malnutrition among school-aged children and adolescents.

According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data, India is witnessing a rapid surge in overweight and obesity among under-five children under five, with prevalence rising by 127 per cent (from 1.5 per cent to 3.4 per cent between NFHS 3 (2005-06) and NFHS 5 (2019-21). Similarly, adolescent girls and boys have seen an increase in overweight and obesity of 125 per cent (from 2.4 per cent to 5.4 per cent) and 288 per cent (from 1.7 per cent to 6.6 per cent) respectively.

A recent child nutrition report points to a worrying shift in the way young people in India eat. Fast foods, ultra-processed snacks, and sugary drinks that are high in fat, salt, and sugar are steadily replacing fruits, vegetables, and traditional home-cooked meals. These choices are not always driven by taste alone. Easy availability and aggressive marketing campaigns aimed at children and teenagers are increasingly shaping what they want to eat.

Early-life factors are also playing a role in the rising numbers. Poor maternal nutrition during pregnancy, inadequate infant feeding practices, and low rates of exclusive breastfeeding can influence a child’s long-term health and metabolism. Social and gender norms add another layer to the problem. In many households, adolescent girls and women still eat last and often the least, which can affect nutritional balance early in life and contribute to unhealthy patterns later.

At the same time, lifestyles among young people are rapidly changing. The growing consumption of ultra-processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages is being combined with lower levels of physical activity. Children and teenagers today spend more time on screens, whether for schoolwork, entertainment, or social media, leaving less time for outdoor play and movement. This shift towards sedentary routines is one of the key reasons obesity is increasing among the younger population.

The environment around food is also changing. Urban areas and even smaller towns are now saturated with packaged and processed food options that are quick, cheap, and heavily promoted. When healthier choices are less visible or less accessible, children and adolescents are more likely to gravitate toward convenient, calorie-dense products.

Data from UNICEF’s U-Report poll, which surveyed adolescents and young adults aged 13 to 24 across 171 countries, highlights the scale of marketing exposure. More than two-thirds of young people said they regularly encounter food advertisements. In the week before the poll, 75 per cent reported seeing ads for sugary drinks, fast food, or packaged snacks. Social media was the biggest source of exposure at 52 per cent, followed by the internet at 46 per cent and television at 43 per cent. Not surprisingly, three in five respondents admitted that these advertisements made them want to try the products they saw.

Experts say this constant exposure is shaping dietary habits from an early age. When young people repeatedly see unhealthy foods promoted as fun, trendy, or aspirational, it normalizes those choices.

Selena Gomez recently opened up about being wrongly diagnosed for her mental health issues. The 33-year-old singer said that she was "misdiagnosed" before she ultimately received her bipolar disorder diagnosis.

She, along with her husband appeared on the podcast Friends Keep Secret, and said that she knew something was wrong with her. "I knew something was wrong, but I think I was misdiagnosed," Gomez said. "People were just assuming, and I would try multiple therapists. And that’s why it’s hard. It’s actually really hard when we’re talking about these things. And for me to go get a therapist, all of it is so f***ing complicated."

Going on to explain that finding the right diagnosis and treatments took going through "multiple different people," Gomez emphasized how important it was to remember that "you can’t just give up." Gomez also said she underwent therapies at four different rehabs, which helped her understand her diagnosis - a chronic mental health condition characterized by severe mood swings, alternating between extreme emotional highs and lows.

Therapy Should Not Be Shamed, Says Gomez

Gomez also slammed people who shame the idea of therapy. She said those people are hypocrites. "That's the problem with misconceptions," she said. "The whole hypocrisy of shaming people for therapy or people not understanding it is that it’s just not for you. That’s completely fine, but for me, it finally allowed me to go, ‘Oh, that’s why I handled things the way I handled them. That’s why all the other people were able to get over things so quickly, and I wasn’t.'”

“I would act out of fear, I would act out of love, I would act out of passion,” she added.

What Is Bipolar Disorder?

As per the American Psychiatric Association (APA), bipolar disorders are mental health conditions characterized by periodic, intense emotional states affecting a person's mood, energy and ability to function. APA notes that these periods, lasting from days to weeks, are called mood episodes.

Mood episodes are categorized as manic/hypomanic episodes when the predominant mood is intensely happy or irritable, or depressive episodes, when there is an intensely sad mood or the ability to experience joy or pleasure disappears. People with bipolar disorder generally have periods of neutral mood as well. When treated, people with bipolar disorder can lead full and productive lives.

But Don't Mood Fluctuations Happen To People Without The Disorder?

APA notes that while people without bipolar disorder could also experiences mood fluctuations, they are part of commonly lived experience and typically last hours rather than days. These mood fluctuations are also not accompanied by extreme changes in behavior or changes in functioning, such as difficulties with daily routines and social interactions. Bipolar disorder could also disrupt a person's relationships with loved ones and cause difficulty in working or going to school.

What Causes Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder usually runs in families, as 80 to 90 per cent of cases come from a relative with bipolar disorder or depression.

Environmental factors such as stress, sleep disruption, and drugs and alcohol may trigger mood episodes in vulnerable people. Though the specific causes of bipolar disorder are unclear, there are both biological factors, including a family history of mood disorders, psychotic disorders, and substance misuse, and environmental factors that increase the risk for bipolar disorder. The average age of onset is in the mid-20s.

This Is Endometriosis, a 2024 intimate, expressive film by Georgie Wileman and Matt Houghton won a BAFTA Award 2026 for Best British Short Film. This 19.27 minute long film shows how Georgie was robbed of her time due to endometriosis. The film sets in present-day narrative with memories from her past.

Endometriosis is a condition, that Georgie notes is often dismissed by many doctors as just "painful periods". However, her film portrays how truly disabling this medical condition. It is a condition in which cell similar to the lining of the uterus or the endometrium, grow outside the uterus. It affects 1 in 10 born with a uterus and could cause pain, often "worse than the last stages of child labour", notes thisiseno.com, the official website of the short film. Around 190 million people worldwide are impacted by the condition, however, what the film points out is how "dangerously underfunded, under researched and misinformed" doctors continue to remain despite the condition being so widespread.

Read: A Woman Lost Her Ovary To Endometriosis Surgery After Receiving An Ultimatum From Gynecologist

A Film That Documents Personal Struggle

Georgie, while accepting the award wore a symbolic blood-red gown. She said, "It was surreal and beautiful. Knowing how much this win would mean to the [endometriosis] community made it an emotional moment."

She points out that it is more than just a "painful period" and that "It is a full body disease. It important for people to understand the severity of the pain – it’s widely considered to be worse than childbirth." What is shocking is that it takes an average of eight to 10 years to be diagnosed.

She shares being "bed-bound for three months" when she was only 13. She said it first got "really bad" and she was not believed for long time. "It took me a long time to even believe myself. I was just so angry at my body for not working."

While she had been in and out of wheelchair, she was not formally diagnosed with endometriosis until she was 26, and then at 29, she was diagnosed with its 'sister disease' adenomyosis. She has undergone seven surgeries for her endometriosis and a hysterectomy for adenomyosis.

Read: Keltie Knight Was Gaslit By Doctors For Years Before Getting A Hysterectomy

In 2020, after years of feeling dismissed by doctors and watching her condition be misunderstood in the media, she decided she had had enough. That frustration pushed her to tell the story herself.

“It began as a photography project,” Wileman says. “And it meant a lot to people because, for the first time, they felt their experiences were being shown truthfully.”

But she soon realized that still images could only go so far. “There’s only so much a photograph can capture,” she adds.

Why Does It Take So Long For An Endometriosis Diagnosis?

A study published in Obstetrics and Gynecology journal looks at the factors of what leads to such a delay in endometriosis diagnosis. Researchers identified that factors include normalization of menstrual pain, the diversity of symptoms, and a lack of training and prompt referrals among healthcare professionals lead to this delay.

At an individual level, the researchers found that many women struggled to tell the difference between “normal” period pain and something more serious. A common belief was that painful periods were simply part of being a woman and had to be endured. As a result, many relied on self-care measures and delayed seeking medical help, which likely pushed back the timeline for an endometriosis diagnosis.

On an interpersonal level, stigma played a powerful role. Menstrual problems were often seen as too private or embarrassing to talk about. At the same time, society’s tendency to normalize period pain meant that symptoms were minimized, both by those experiencing them and by people around them. This silence and normalization further contributed to delayed diagnoses.

Barriers also existed within the healthcare system itself. Some participants said their general practitioners dismissed their concerns or appeared unfamiliar with endometriosis. Healthcare professionals involved in the study acknowledged gaps in their own training and pointed out the lack of clear clinical guidelines for diagnosing the condition.

Doctors also noted that endometriosis symptoms can overlap with other disorders, making it harder to identify. Diagnosis is particularly challenging because there is no simple, noninvasive test that can confirm the condition with certainty. Delays in referrals were common. One contributing factor was the widespread belief that laparoscopic surgery is the only definitive way to diagnose endometriosis. Some healthcare providers also questioned how useful a formal diagnosis would be, which further slowed the process.

Dr Sophie Davenport, a doctor in England who conducted the research as part of her Master of Public Health dissertation, emphasized that the problem is layered and requires solutions at multiple levels.

“The key highlights of the data are that delays to diagnosis exist throughout the journey,” she explained. “We need to address these at different levels — from society understanding what ‘normal’ menstruation looks like and being open about menstrual problems, to clinicians being well educated, up to date on how endometriosis presents and diagnosed, and truly listening when patients say their periods aren’t normal.”