Barometabolic Behavior: A Fresh Lens for Precision Treatment

Dr Sambit Das, Professor and Head, Department of Endocrinology, KIMS, Bhubaneswar

“Barotype B, or barometabolic behavior, examines how diet, activity, addictions, stress, and sleep shape metabolic risk, enabling clinicians to design targeted, holistic interventions that improve obesity outcomes.”

Obesity is widely recognized as a chronic disease, yet its full assessment remains difficult in routine clinical practice. The concept of the barophenotype offers a practical way to understand the overall impact of obesity by combining biophysical and social factors that shape an individual’s health. Based on the ABCDE framework, the barophenotype goes beyond measuring obesity with ethnicity-specific indicators and includes additional attributes that influence metabolic risk and treatment needs.

Barotype B, or barometabolic behavior, focuses on lifestyle patterns that strongly affect obesity outcomes. This includes a person’s diet, exercise or physical activity, addictions, and stress and sleep behaviors. These factors provide essential insight into how metabolic risk develops and how it can be modified through targeted interventions. By understanding barometabolic behavior, clinicians gain a clearer picture of the “why” behind obesity, enabling more precise and individualized treatment planning.

Wider use of barophenotype-based characterization encourages holistic thinking and supports a multipronged strategy for obesity care. This approach can help improve outcomes for the millions currently affected by obesity and its complications.

(Source: Kalra S, Das AK, Sahay R, Bantwal G, Kota S, Ghosh S, et al. Barophenotypic Characterization – The key to Person Centric Management of Obesity. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2021;25(4):295-8. doi:10.4103/ijem.ijem_285_21.; https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8793949/#sec1-5)