India, Sept. 2 -- Often, we consider the numbers on the weighing scale to be the ultimate mark of our health. If the scale goes up, you are unhealthy; if it goes down, you are okay. But defining your health depends on more than just your weight on the scale.

According to Dr Ashish Gautam, principal director, robotic and laparoscopic surgery, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Patparganj, New Delhi, a weighing scale can tell how much a person weighs, but it cannot tell how the body is handling that weight.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Gautam explained that metabolic health depends on how the body uses and stores energy, regulates blood sugar, processes fats, and responds to hormones. Moreover, a person can have a 'stable weight' and...