Beware of the silent pandemic of obesity

Obesity is a phenomenon, and there is no escape from it in this weird lifestyle living of ours. But people like Dr. Rita Nawar Tobias at The Weight Care Clinic, Healthcare City Dubai, have reoriented the very concept of lifestyle, and believe that triumph over obesity and its related-ailments is quite possible. All you need to do is to see how Dr. Rita articulates her views, and diagnoses it, accordingly.

It is an enriching experience to talk to Dr. Rita, and the passion with which the clinic deals with patients is remarkable. She says the good thing is that people are now more inclined towards seeking awareness on obesity-related issues, and want to change their lifestyle for a healthy tomorrow.

Diabetics, cholesterol, sleep disorders, work stress and other aspects matter a lot as a person gets obese. This is where Dr. Rita, the Managing Director for The Weight Care Clinic, says the work begins on a walk-in patient.

Hailing from Lebanon, the soft-spoken lady has a deep introspection on health issues, and she carefully diagnoses a way out. The endocrinologist, trained at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Ohio, USA, and her synopsis and research is on obesity management. This is where she came in contact with Dr. Naji Torbay in Beirut, an emeritus par-excellence in diseases related to lifestyle. She says as she moved to the UAE a decade ago, the need for a full-fledged clinic was felt in Dubai, as it houses people from all walks of life and nationalities.

Rita says obesity is a disease in itself, and should be tackled in a proper clinical manner. The good thing is that it can be addressed in more than one way, and coupled with physical exercises and proper dietary, it can be overcome successfully.But the point is that it can strike back at any stage of life. So, what is required is a commitment to browbeat the syndrome altogether, and change of lifestyle is the answer to the riddle.

The Weight Care Clinic offers a structured module for people who want to shun the extra calories, without restricting the calorie intake but rather macronutrient intake based on a blood test, changing with that the classical dietary management, and at the same time keeps a close eye on their biological disorders through relevant tests, and dietary habits.

With a twinkle of commitment in her eyes, Dr. Rita says, "It has to be dealt with on an individual basis, and moreover has social, legislative, administrative and political connotations as well, apart from medical parameters of the issue." What it means is that obesity has to be fought and nipped in the bud. That is only possible when a holistic approach is adopted towards the disease, and tackled, accordingly, she says, and prides in the fact that her clinic at Dubai Healthcare City is frequented by patients, and they also keep a track of themselves by chartering to periodic check-ups even after the extra calories had been shed.

"Our clinic simply furthers that approach, and helps patients' attain 100 per cent success."

Special emphasis is laid on analysing metabolic profile of the patient, and apart from BMR index, the case is dealt on a personalised basis at the Weight Care Clinic.

"We have to see how sick the patient is, and not merely how obese he/she is?" said Dr. Rita, while elucidating that it can't be tackled in a cosmetic manner. "There are no quick-fix solutions, as obesity is not an external problem. It is an internal metabolic issue," she cautioned. Dr. Rita agrees that the process to get rid of extra fat is a sustained approach and has dividends for a secure and healthy future.

"We give patients a range of choices in terms of diet, medicine and physical activity. This is how we manage to make a difference in their lives. We believe that our greatest achievement is to have finally been able to replace the principle of calorie-restriction, that has guided the formulation of weight reducing diets for the past 80 years, for a new principle and that's that of the macro-nutrient restriction. There are 2 macro-nutrients in the food that can be deposited as fat in the body: it is either fat in the food or carbohydrates and sugars in the food... We have developed a diagnostic methodology to find out which one of the two specifically is inducing weight gain in each patient... Once the diagnosis is done, then what we do is to limit in our prescribed diet that macro-nutrient.... our dietary instructions are very simple and easy to follow and are non-calorie counting, which means that our patients rarely feel hungry. And most important of all is that the patient learns once and for all what is making them gain weight... and as such they are able to maintain their weight down years after our intervention sustainable approach guarantees a long-lasting positive effect on lifestyle as well as health and longevity. It is all about methodological and dietary management," Dr. Rita outlined, saying yearly check-ups are sine qua non to keep obesity away for life.