Abu Dhabi’s first year results show thousands of participants losing weight as part of a bespoke, doctor-led programme.
Weight loss stories are almost always accompanied by a “before and after” photo. This one is accompanied by a figure: over 6,500. That’s the number of people who have lost weight as part of Abu Dhabi’s Personalised Weight Management Programme in its first year alone. The programme is run by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi in conjunction with the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC). Here’s what we know at this stage.
The Headline Numbers
The results are from the authorities and they are pretty impressive. The participants with obesity lost on average 14% of their body weight in the first year (some as much as 22%). The Abu Dhabi weight management programme is available at over 54 health facilities with a further 15 to be added. Again these are the results from the authorities themselves and the articles make no mention of any independent verification.
How the Programme Works
It’s not a one size fits all diet. The Abu Dhabi weight management plan is individualised and includes clinical interventions, nutritional and behavioural support, early screening and regular doctor follow up. There are options of both injectable and oral weight loss medications (the latter having been added over time) as per The National. The official release states that the oral options have been added over time with Wegovy (semaglutide) tablets being one of them. Whether or not a medication is right for an individual is a decision that is made by a doctor.
Two Real-Life Examples
Numbers are much easier to get a grip on with people behind them. One individual went from 170 down to 130 in a matter of months and completely avoided surgery. Another woman hit a plateau and lost 9kg, moving from the obese range into the healthy range.
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They’re all individual cases so of course you can’t expect the same result from yourself. They do however illustrate quite clearly what the Abu Dhabi weight management programme says it’s all about: sustainable health outcomes rather than quick fixes.
Why Weight Loss Matters for Health
The article also references a study in the International Journal of Obesity which found that an average weight loss of 13% was associated with a 41% reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes, a 22% reduction in the risk of hypertension, 19% fewer lipid disorders and 40% fewer cases of sleep apnoea.
These are study findings not the outcomes of this programme. They do however provide an explanation for why the Abu Dhabi weight management initiative is being presented as a health initiative rather than simply a weight loss initiative.
Who Can Join?
Eligibility at the moment is very specific. The scheme is open to Thiqa card holders aged 18 and over who are overweight or living with obesity. The cost and how to enrol weren’t given in the articles I checked. If you think you may be eligible the best thing to do is ask your GP or the relevant health authority as the Abu Dhabi weight management details are likely to change.
What It Does Not Tell Us
A few questions remain. The articles say nothing about side effects or long term safety and give no indication of how many participants actually dropped out. That doesn’t mean it’s an unsafe programme at all, just that we don’t have the full picture. Any Abu Dhabi weight management programme that involves medication would need to be run under medical supervision.
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The Bottom Line
Thousands of people losing weight as part of a structured, doctor-led programme is very good news for public health. The next stage is obviously going to be about whether those results are sustainable. For the moment the Abu Dhabi weight management programme is one to watch.
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