(MENAFN- The Peninsula) By Fazeena Saleem / The Peninsula
Doha: Modest weight loss of five to ten percent carries major health benefits for obese people. The seemingly more achievable target provides significant improvements to metabolic health and opens up the possibility of continued weight loss, says Dr Buthaina Ibrahim, Senior Consultant, Medicine, Endocrine/ Diabetes, Hamad General Hospital.
'The current guidelines for treating obesity recommend a five to ten percent weight loss. Research shows that modest loss of baseline weight can make a huge positive impact on a person's health. It is associated with improved health outcomes and a reduction in risk factors for chronic disease, including lower blood glucose levels, lower blood pressure and reduced cholesterol levels, she told The Peninsula.
'Don't follow short cuts, if you reduce five to ten percent, it will affect your health positively. You don't have to lose like 20 kilograms and reach ideal weight to get important health benefits. If a person weighs 100 kilograms, and reduces to 95 or 90 kilograms, it will give important health benefits. And we encourage them to maintain the weight loss for a long run, she added. Dr Ibrahim sees an average of 12 to 14 patients daily in the obesity clinic situated within the Metabolic Institute situated within the Hamad bin Khalifa Medical City.
There are also several other clinics related to obesity including post bariatric clinic which aims at preparing a person for the weight loss surgery as well as monitor and follow up after the procedure.
Also dietitians, physiatrists and psychologists are running clinics to care people with obesity and other metabolic disorders.
'We see any obese patient with the body mass index (BMI) more than 30, either the person has other metabolic disorders or not. They are referred to us by the Primary Health Clinics, hospitals and facilities of HMC and private clinics, said Dr Ibrahim.
'We provide a holistic approach to the patient. First do a complete assessment, and then decide what type of treatment is required. When we asses we do find the mistakes patient does in lifestyle and eating habits. Also we analyse genetics of the person. Then depending on the condition will decide if to direct for a diet and exercises only or to prescribe medicines or refer for weight loss surgery, she added.
BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to adults. A person with BMI between 18.5 to 24.5 is considered as with normal weight, between 25 to 29.9 is overweight, 30 to 34.9 is obesity (1), 35 to 39.9 is obesity (2) and 40 and above is severe obesity. According to Dr Ibrahim, a patient's treatment plan will be decided with their concern. 'HMC has the most recent medicines for obesity and advanced facilities for the bariatric surgery. We refer people with a body mass index of 35 with diabetes for surgery. Even if the person is not diabetic but if has a body mass index of more than 40 will also be referred for a surgery. But it all depends on the patient's choice either to go for medicines and lifestyle modification or for a surgery, she said.
The prevalence of obesity is high as around 34 percent of the adult population and 72.2 percent are overweight. Also overweight and obesity pose major health risks because they raise the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, heart diseases and other chronic diseases.
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