DOHA: A newly launched ‘Smart Weight initiative’ to help people reduce weight has initially registered 500 participants.
Funded by the Academic Health System (AHS) partnership, the Smart Weight program targets people with a body mass index (BMI) over 30, the aim being to utilize Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC)’s expert clinicians to provide diet and exercise advice over a six-month period to help the participants lose weight. The goal of the program is for participants to lose a minimum ten percent of their body weight over the six months.
HMC in collaboration with Qatar University (QU) recently held a series of workshops for the participants in its newly launched Smart Weight initiative.
The workshops, organized by the HMC’s Nutrition Department and QU’s Department of Arts and Science, guided participants through an introduction to the program before breakout sessions divided up course participants into five zones where they learned about food portions, calories, lifestyle changes, and the importance of diet and exercise.
Participants also had their height, weight, fat percentage and body mass index (BMI) measured, and were issued with pedometers for tracking their movement and specialized scales so that they can monitor their weight and BMI at home.
Dr Yousuf Al Maslamani, Medical Director of Hamad General Hospital, heads the Smart Weight team, saying in addition to its primary target of weight reduction, the program focuses on encouraging participants to change their lifestyle habits in order to minimize the risks related to obesity.
“Our goal ultimately, is a healthier and more informed society, and the Smart Weight program is a unique platform that can be used to educate people into adopting healthy lifestyle habits for life. These workshops will hopefully be the start of a new life for our 500 participants,” said Dr Al Maslamani.
Reem Al Saadi, HMC Assistant Director of Corporate Dietetics and Nutrition, who launched the Smart Weight program, said the initial workshops were designed to give an overview to participants of what to expect in the coming months.
“Weight loss is a difficult journey. In our first workshops, we aim to simplify the process for program participants, and also to encourage them to buy into the expertise we have on offer,” said Dr Al Saadi.
“However, the onus is on program participants to do the work, make the changes to their life, and utilize the resources that we have to help them become smarter about their weight,” she added.
The Peninsula
