Weight Management

People who are overweight or obese are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease and diabetes. They are also at greater risk of having other contributory factors for heart disease such as hypertension, high LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and low HDL (“good”) cholesterol. If your Body Mass Index (BMI) exceeds the healthy weight range for a person of your height, weight management is recommended: losing just 10% of your current weight can significantly reduce your chances of developing weight-related coronary risk factors. For diabetics in particular, weight and dietary control are essential because diabetes makes them more vulnerable to high blood pressure, cholesterol disorders, and atherosclerosis.

Read more: Diabetes and Overweight / Obesity as Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease

Below are some ways of shedding excess body weight:

• Work out how much weight you need to lose and set yourself a realistic time frame for achieving this goal – in general, attempting to lose more than 1 kg a week is not only potentially dangerous but also more likely to cause you to lapse in your weight loss resolutions;
• Follow a sensible diet which contains a variety of food as exemplified by the Heart Smart Eating guide to eating
• Exercise regularly as this helps in weight control – start gradually and slowly aim to slot in three to five exercise sessions weekly of at least 20 minutes per session;
• Do not skip meals as this is likely to cause you to snack in between meals or overeat at your next meal – instead, make it a
• Point to eat three regular meals (including breakfast) a day;
• Use smaller plates when you eat so that you will take smaller portions of food.

Alternatively, with a referral letter from your cardiologist or family doctor, you may join a hospital-based weight managed programme. Such programmes are available at:

Changi General Hospital
http://www.cgh.com.sg
Sports Medicine Clinic
Tel: 6850-3333

Khoo Teck Puat Hospital
http://www.ktph.com.sg
Integrated Care for Obesity and Diabetes (ICOD)
Tel: 6555 8000

Singapore General Hospital
http://www.sgh.com.sg
LIFE Centre
Tel: 6222 3322