Indian societies difficulty first joint consensus on personalised weight problems administration
August 21, 2026 | Friday | Information
The OSSI–ESI framework brings collectively 78 specialists and 55 suggestions spanning analysis, life-style intervention, medicines, endoscopic therapies, bariatric surgical procedure and long-term care.
The Weight problems and Metabolic Surgical procedure Society of India and the Endocrine Society of India have issued their first joint consensus on weight problems administration, calling for the situation to be handled as a power illness somewhat than a consequence of particular person willpower.
The Skilled Consensus on Weight problems Administration Protocols – A Joint Place Assertion by OSSI and ESI brings collectively 78 specialists and 55 suggestions protecting prevention, analysis, life-style intervention, medicines, metabolic and bariatric surgical procedure, monitoring, long-term follow-up and palliative care.
Revealed in Weight problems Surgical procedure on 3 August 2026, the framework is meant to supply an India-specific method to weight problems care based mostly on illness severity, related well being dangers and particular person affected person wants.
“Weight problems is a power illness that requires well timed recognition, scientific remedy and long-term care. This joint consensus gives a unified, India-specific framework that may assist transfer the dialog away from blame and in direction of evidence-based medical care,” stated Dr Ok. S. Kular, President of the Weight problems and Metabolic Surgical procedure Society of India.
The consensus highlights the function of genetic, metabolic, endocrine, environmental, psychological, socioeconomic and life-style components in weight problems.
It additionally recommends shifting past physique mass index and physique weight as the only determinants of remedy.
The specialists famous that Indian populations might develop metabolic problems together with sort 2 diabetes and heart problems at comparatively decrease BMI ranges and youthful ages than Western populations.
“India wants an method to weight problems that displays the distinctive metabolic dangers of our inhabitants. Evaluation should look past weight alone and think about the general well being of the person,” stated Dr Kaushik Pandit, President of the Endocrine Society of India.
Dr Nitin Kapoor, Endocrinologist at CMC Vellore, stated diabetes, fatty liver illness, sleep apnoea, mobility, cardiovascular threat and broader illness burden ought to affect how early and intensively weight problems is handled.
Way of life interventions together with wholesome consuming and bodily exercise stay central to administration, however the consensus recommends a extra individualised remedy mannequin.
Relying on illness severity and affected person wants, care might also embody psychological assist, weight problems medicines, endoscopic therapies and metabolic and bariatric surgical procedure.
“The consensus strikes away from a inflexible remedy ladder. Remedy must be personalised and may evolve because the affected person’s well being wants change,” stated Dr KVS Hari Kumar, Honorary Secretary of the Endocrine Society of India.
The framework additionally emphasises that medical, endoscopic and surgical remedies shouldn’t be considered as competing approaches.
“Way of life measures, medicines, endoscopic therapies and metabolic and bariatric surgical procedure shouldn’t be seen as competing remedies. They’re totally different instruments that can be utilized at totally different levels of the identical illness,” stated Dr Sarfaraz Baig, Bariatric and Metabolic Surgeon in Kolkata.
The consensus additionally addresses the rising use of newer weight problems medicines.
Dr Shehla Shaikh, Endocrinologist at Sir H. N. Reliance Basis Hospital in Mumbai, stated the newer therapies have expanded remedy choices however must be used underneath applicable medical supervision based mostly on a affected person’s well being standing, related circumstances and remedy objectives.
Past scientific care, the specialists referred to as for stigma-free remedy, extra equitable entry to weight problems administration and better integration of prevention and remedy into nationwide well being programmes.
The suggestions additionally assist population-level measures together with clearer meals labelling, more healthy college environments and public consciousness initiatives.
The joint framework goals to supply medical doctors, healthcare professionals and policymakers with a constant method to personalised, multidisciplinary weight problems care targeted on well being outcomes and high quality of life somewhat than weight reduction alone.
