3 Things Looking back at 2025: Health developments that mattered most
Dec 30, 2025
Anonna Dutt, a health reporter for The Indian Express, dives into significant health trends from 2025. She discusses WHO's reclassification of obesity and the implications for treatment. Dutt reveals the introduction of weight-loss drugs like semaglutide in India and their impact on accessibility. The conversation shifts to AI in healthcare, exploring innovations that enhance TB detection and support telemedicine. Finally, she emphasizes the health risks of air pollution and necessary long-term solutions.
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Obesity Reframed As A Chronic Disease
- WHO calling obesity a chronic relapsing disease reframes it from a cosmetic issue to a long-term medical condition requiring continuous care.
- This pushes for comprehensive, multi-level healthcare services including counselling, dietitians, drugs and surgery across primary to tertiary care.
Big Weight-Loss Molecules Enter India
- Semaglutide and tirzepatide (terzipatide) became widely available in India in 2025, spurring rapid market growth and multiple formulations.
- Newer delivery forms and diabetes-dose versions expanded use but long-term impacts on populations remain to be seen.
Reserve GLP-1s For Clinical Need
- Avoid casual or cosmetic use of GLP-1 drugs and reserve them for people with high BMI or obesity-related conditions after lifestyle efforts fail.
- Use these drugs as add-ons after sustained lifestyle interventions and not as first-line cosmetic solutions.