The weight management programme is supported by the principles of in-depth patient education, exercise instruction and teaching healthier lifestyle choices. The programme aims to provide patients with the motivation, education and support necessary to implement long-term changes to their health.

• Regular meetings with doctors for medical supervision and education, including BMI and fat percentage measurements
• Formal assessment and follow-up with a dietitian, including nutrition education, meal advice, and review and analysis of the patient's eating pattern
• Formal assessment and follow-up by a physiotherapist, including the development of a weight management exercise program that targets functional limitations associated with your existing health problems

Your doctor may consider a weight-loss drug for you if you haven't been able to lose weight through diet and exercise. Before selecting a medicine for you, your doctor will consider your history and health conditions. Then your doctor will talk with you about the pros and cons of prescription weight-loss drugs. It's important to note that weight-loss drug is an adjunction in the process of weight reduction. The foundation is physical activities and diet modification. Moreover, weight-loss drugs are not suitable for everyone. You should seek further information from a doctor.

There are different types of weight loss drugs are available either in the form of oral medication or injection.  The effectiveness are all recognized. Liraglutide, one of the weight loss drugs has conducted clinical studies and found out 85% of the tested patient have resulted in losing some weights:

We use injection type of weight loss drug (Liraglutide) as an example; the injection will help to regulate the body’s natural response through increase the fullness and decrease the hunger of the patient. 

• The body naturally produces an appetite hormone know as glucagon-like-peptide that helps to regulate your hunger
• Liraglutide works like GLP-1 by regulating your appetite, which can lead to eating fewer calories and losing weight. 

Just like all types of medication, side effects are not evitable. The possible side effect of weight lose drugs like Saxenda are listed below:  

• Nausea, vomiting
• Headache, Tiredness
• Diarrhea, constipation 
• Upset stomach, stomach pain
• Injection site reaction 
• Low blood sugar (Hypoglcemia) 

There are 4 weight-loss drugs approved for long-term use, they are:

1. Bupropion-naltrexone (Contrave)
2. Liraglutide (Saxenda)
3. Orlistat
4. Phentermine-topiramate

Most prescription weight-loss drugs work by decreasing appetite or increasing feelings of fullness. Some do both. The exception is orlistat. It works by interfering with the absorption of fat.

The major goal of a weight management programme is to maintain an average BMI (18.5-24.9 kg/m2).

Besides the programme goal, here are some health benefits for individuals with overweight or obese:

• Decrease in raised blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose levels
• Reduced risk of suffering or dying from heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer

For an individual with an overweight or obesity issue, progress made in weight loss will significantly benefit his/ her health.

You may refer to the BMI index as it provides the most useful measure of overweight and obesity for both sexes and  all ages of adults. However, it should be considered a rough guide because it may not correspond to the same degree of fatness in different individuals.

The recommended classifications for BMI adopted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and World Health Organization (WHO) are:

• Underweight – <18.5 kg/m2
• Normal weight – ≥18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2
• Overweight – ≥25.0 to 29.9 kg/m2
• Obesity – ≥30 kg/m2
• Class I – 30.0 to 34.9 kg/m2
• Class II – 35.0 to 39.9 kg/m2
• Class III – ≥40 kg/m2 (also referred to as severe, extreme, or massive obesity)

If you are obese and have a family history of heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes, please make an appointment with your doctor for a general check-up and discuss weight management programme.

Please click here to learn about obesity and overweight.