An obesity clinic offers expert guidance, medical supervision, and personalized plans to help individuals lose weight safely. With professional support, patients can improve health, manage conditions, and boost well-being.
WORDS PROFESSOR DR NORLAILA MUSTAFA
 FEATURED EXPERTPROFESSOR DR NORLAILA MUSTAFA Consultant Endocrinologist Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM |
WHAT IS AN OBESITY CLINIC?
The role of obesity clinic is not only about looking at the scale or putting weight loss as the main priority.
Its main concern is to ensure patients with purely weight problems do not have co-existing abnormal lipid profile, their blood pressure is well controlled and, if they have diabetes, they are given the appropriate medications.
Further assessment will be conducted, if necessary, such as sleep study to determine the severity of their obstructive sleep apnoea, a common condition present among overweight and obese people.
In short, a thorough assessment will be performed for people with obesity attending the obesity clinic.
Important NoteAn obesity clinic is not the same as a slimming centre. An obesity clinic is staffed by healthcare professionals and offers medical services including prescription medicines and surgery. A slimming centre offers aesthetic services that may not necessarily improve one’s health and quality of life in the long run. |
WHAT HAPPENS AT THE OBESITY CLINIC?
Most obesity clinics are run by medical staff consisting of endocrinologists or obesity physicians, dieticians, physical therapists and/or physiotherapists, bariatric surgeons, and psychologists or psychiatrists.
The clinic offers a suite of comprehensive management approaches, including encouraging behavioural changes from unhealthy lifestyle to a healthier lifestyle, prescribing anti-obesity medication if warranted, and in severe cases, possible surgical intervention.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR WEIGHT & NEED MEDICAL ADVICE
People with obesity can also seek advice at their nearest Klinik Kesihatan. Our doctors will be guided by clinical practice guidelines for obesity management.
If necessary, the doctor will refer them to an obesity clinic. They can engage the digital health consultation service offered by the obesity clinic, but serial measurements of blood pressure, blood glucose, lipid profile, and liver profile will need to be done regularly as per clinic visit.
You should consider seeing a doctor about your weight if you are:
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ARE THE SERVICES AT THE OBESITY CLINIC AT A GOVERNMENT MEDICAL HEALTH FACILITY AFFORDABLE?
Payment follows the same system as the other services provided by a government health facility.
The obesity clinic at Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM, for example, operates on the same system as any clinic in a teaching hospital.
There may be minimal charges for blood tests and other medical tests.
DON’T GET DEMORALIZED IF YOU DON’T SEE QUICK RESULTS
All of us are born with more or less the same weight. Our weight increases over the years, and some amount of effort will be needed to reduce the excess weight. If you’re not able to lose weight, being able to maintain your current weight is good enough. Giving up too early before you see the results will only lead to more weight gain!
| This article is part of our series on effective and research-based weight loss strategies. |
