A new report published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology challenges the conventional definition of obesity, and urges a shift from the reliance on Body Mass Index (BMI) to a more nuanced approach. This is supported by over 50 global medical experts. The report also recommends splitting the term "obesity" into two categories: "Clinical obesity" and "Pre-clinical obesity". This aims to improve diagnosis and treatment for over a billion people worldwide living with obesity.

Clinically Obese

This applies to individuals whose obesity has progressed to a disease state, manifesting in organ damage, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or other health complications. These individuals could also experience symptoms like breathlessness, joint pain, or impaired daily functioning. Treatment also involves medical interventions, including weight-loss medications or surgery.

Pre-Clinic Obese

Whereas the term "pre-clinic obese" refers to those who are overweight but not yet exhibiting health issues. While they may be at risk of developing obesity-related conditions, their organ function and overall health remain intact. What they need is preventive care, which includes dietary guidance, counselling, and regular monitoring to avoid and reduce future health risks.

What does the study say?

The study, led by Professor Francesco Rubino from King's College London emphasizes that obesity is not one-size-fits-all condition. This means it should rather be treated as a spectrum as some individuals maintain normal organ function despite being classified as obese. There are others who may face severe health complications too. However, the current method of calculating obesity based on BMI often leads to misdiagnosis or inadequate care.

The report also states that BMI, while is useful for analyzing population trends, is a flawed unit of measuring individual health. Therefore, there is a need to redefine obesity, and healthcare professionals can provide more precise care by distinguishing those who need immediate medical intervention and those who require preventive strategies.

Limitations of BMI, Why It Falls Short?

BMI is used to classify individuals as underweight, healthy weight, overweight, or obese based on their height and weight. It is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by health in meters squared. However, there are reasons while it falls short.

•Muscle vs Fat: Athletes or muscular individuals often have high BMIs despite the low body fat

•Fat Distribution: BMI does not measure fat around the waist or organs, which could be more dangerous to one's health.

•Individual Health Variation: It also overlooks the specific health conditions such as heart diseases or diabetes, or any other, while evaluating a person's category in terms of weight.

ALSO READ: Is It Time To Say Goodbye To BMI?

Scope Of Study

By redefining obesity, the study could transform the approach to diagnosis and treatment. It can focus on individual health risks rather than BMI alone. Healthcare providers can also offer tailored care. This also will ensure hat weight-loss medications like Wegovy or Mounjaro are prescribed only to those who genuinely require it.

As per Professor Louise Baur from the University of Sydney, a Children's obesity expert said that this redefinition allows both adults and children to receive more appropriate care while reducing over-diagnosis and unnecessary treatments.

While HPV vaccines are most known for preventing cervical cancer, a top US doctor says they can also help curb the rising incidence of head and neck cancers.

According to Mikkael A. Sekeres, Chief of the Division of Hematology and Professor of Medicine at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami, Human papillomavirus (HPV) — the same sexually transmitted virus that can infect the genital area and lead to cervical cancer — is now the greatest risk factor for head and neck cancer.

Writing in The Washington Post, Sekeres noted that HPV accounts for about 30 per cent of oropharyngeal cancer worldwide.

HPV is believed to be responsible for the recent rise in head and neck cancers, which include malignancies affecting the mouth and throat (oral cavity and pharynx), voice box (larynx), sinuses and nasal cavities, and salivary glands.

Sekeres said the US records about 60,000 new cases of head and neck cancers each year, while the global incidence is expected to rise by 30 per cent by 2030.

What Are The Risk Factors?

The expert noted that men develop oral cavity and pharynx cancers at approximately 2.5 times the rate of women.

Major risk factors include:

• Tobacco use, including smoking, secondhand smoke and smokeless tobacco
• Chewing areca nut, also known as betel quid
• Heavy alcohol consumption
• HPV infection

Also read: PM Modi Launches Nationwide Free HPV Vaccination Drive; A Landmark Step, Says WHO

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that the high-risk HPV subtypes most associated with head and neck cancers are detectable in the mouths of 4 per cent of adults aged 18 to 69.

While a pap test detects early-stage cervical cancer in women, no such test exists for penile, anal, or head and neck cancers in men, which can worsen their survival rate.

HPV Vaccination Best Prevention Strategy

Thus, Sekeres said: “The best way to prevent the most common types of HPV is through vaccination, with two doses of the vaccine recommended for children at age 11 or 12, or starting as early as 9 years and up to age 26 for those who missed it as a child".

He noted that although the vaccine is approved for use up to age 45, it is generally less beneficial after age 26 because many individuals may have already been exposed to HPV. However, doctors can help determine whether vaccination may still be beneficial for adults.

Earlier this year, the European Cancer Organization also urged broader HPV vaccination regardless of gender.

“HPV affects everyone, regardless of gender. It can lead to cancers of the cervix, mouth and throat, anus and penis. This is why universal protection is so important,” the organization said in a social media post.

Read More: Who Needs HPV Vaccine? Guide For Every Parent, Teen And Adult

HPV Vaccine Can Boost Cancer Risk

A 2026 study published in JAMA Oncology found that boys and men who received the HPV vaccine between the ages of 9 and 26 were nearly 50 per cent less likely to develop cancers of the head and neck, esophagus, anus, or penis.

The findings, based on data of more than 510,000 boys and men, highlight the importance of vaccinating all children and adolescents against HPV, said Taito Kitano, first author of the study and a researcher at Nara Prefecture General Medical Center in Japan.

“Children, adolescents, parents and health care workers should be more informed about the expected benefits of the HPV vaccine, not just cervical cancer,” Kitano said.

UK-based journalist Emma Barnett said it took 21 years to receive a diagnosis of endometriosis, a chronic condition in which tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the womb.

The condition, which causes severe pain and other complications, affects one in 10 women. However, diagnosis remains difficult and is often dismissed as merely “painful periods”.

“It’s a disease that has outwitted doctors and researchers around the world. No one knows what causes it. No one knows how to cure it. At least 1 in 10 women are staggering about with it,” Barnett shared in a post on Instagram.

“Endometriosis may not typically kill women, but it’s a living death for many. It is a silent medical emergency,” she added.

The 41-year-old BBC journalist said: “It’s a scandal it takes nearly 10 years to be diagnosed — in my case 21 years.”

Living With Debilitating Pain

Also read: This Is Endometriosis, A Short Film On Debilitating Health Condition Wins BAFTA Award 2026, Know More

There is currently no cure for endometriosis. Available treatments include hormone therapy, predominantly the contraceptive pill, to manage symptoms, or surgery, including hysterectomy in severe cases.

“I’ve been suffering from the condition — in which tissue similar to the womb lining, that’s meant to leave your body, grows and builds outside the uterus — since my periods started at the age of 10. But it would be more than 20 years until I’d be diagnosed at 31, after two years of trying to get pregnant naturally, which meant more than 20 years of enduring excruciating, bone-grinding pain without ever having a label for it,” she wrote in Women's Health magazine.

She described the pain “as a drilling sensation from my pelvis that travels down my legs — making them feel as though I can’t lift them to go up the stairs. Sometimes, the hurt spreads to my arms or chest, and comes with crippling nausea and loss of appetite. I also run cold; freezing even. It’s like someone turned the heating off in my body”.

A Documentary To Expose A Neglected Disease

Read More: Amy Schumer Opens Up On Side Effects After “Botched” Colonoscopy And Weight Loss Journey

Recognizing that many women experience similar struggles, Barnett made a new documentary film "Emma Barnett: Fighting Endometriosis" in which she speaks with women, including doctors, researchers and even politicians about their experiences with endometriosis, highlighting a neglected disease that has no known cure.

Through the documentary, Barnett hopes to raise awareness of the condition, improve public understanding, and draw attention to the long delays many women face in receiving a diagnosis.

“One of the reasons I have made a film about endometriosis is that I want people to understand it is not just ‘painful periods’. It’s a system-wide inflammatory condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of it, causing agonizing pain. I am hoping to boost public understanding of that, and beyond merely being able to pronounce it,” she wrote in The Independent.

“It’s very hard to make something invisible visible, but what I am trying to do with this film is bring the invisible into light and show that this is a silent emergency.”

IVF is often regarded as a medical milestone defined by protocols, cycles, and success rates. Over time, it has also come to be understood in a more holistic way, where clinical care and patient experience carry equal significance.

This is especially relevant today, as many patients begin IVF while managing demanding work environments, prolonged screen exposure, and irregular rest patterns. Given how closely reproductive health is linked to hormonal balance, lifestyle naturally becomes part of the broader care context. Which is why IVF care today is not only about clinical precision and outcomes, but equally about how supported, steady, and manageable the overall patient experience feels.

Here are ways to improve the IVF patient experience:

• Establish clear boundaries between work and rest

• Be mindful of screen exposure, particularly in the evening

Evening screen exposure can interfere with melatonin production, affecting sleep quality. Reducing screen time before bed and allowing a wind-down period helps regulate sleep cycles and supports hormonal stability during treatment.

• Managing Injection Fatigue With Needle-Free Injections

A standard IVF cycle involves a series of hormone injections administered over a defined timeline. Depending on the protocol, this can range from 20 to 40 injections in a single cycle. In India, where an estimated 300,000 to 350,000 IVF cycles are performed annually, this represents a significant physical and emotional load for patients. While these injections are necessary, it can be helpful to explore less invasive options such as needle-free injection systems. These systems use controlled pressure to deliver medication without a needle and may help reduce some of the discomfort associated with repeated injections. During IVF treatments, N-FIS, the needle-free injection device, has, in my observation, helped transform patient experience substantially.

Using the latest technological developments in drug delivery has eased the overall treatment experience completely; it has helped patients stay more comfortable and consistent throughout the IVF journey.

• Prioritize consistent and restorative sleep

Sleep plays a direct role in hormonal regulation and recovery. During IVF, maintaining a regular sleep schedule becomes particularly important.

It is not only about getting enough hours of sleep, but also about maintaining rhythm and quality. A calm pre-sleep routine and a stable sleep environment can help the body respond better to treatment.

• Maintain simple, sustainable daily habits

IVF does not require extreme lifestyle changes. It responds better to consistency than intensity. Light physical activity, such as walking or yoga, can help manage stress and support circulation. A balanced diet and adequate hydration further help the body maintain stability through hormonal changes.

The focus should remain on habits that are realistic to sustain, not idealized routines that are difficult to maintain under stress.

IVF is a medically intensive process, but for patients, it is also a deeply personal one that unfolds alongside everyday responsibilities.

Improving the experience does not always require large interventions. Often, it comes from small, practical adjustments that reduce strain, support routine, and help patients move through the journey with greater steadiness and less fatigue.