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The growing demand for obesity treatment is also being felt in the private sector.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Trimly, a telehealth clinic specialising in medical weight management, has recorded a 30 per cent increase in patients since the start of the year, despite having opened only in late 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Its co-founder and medical director Zac Yeo said medical intervention is important as everyone\u2019s body responds differently \u2013 two people with similar approaches to weight loss could see vastly different results.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey can be putting in the same effort, eating the exact same food, and one person is able to lose weight and (the other) is unable to lose weight,\u201d Dr Yeo said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat’s where medical treatment comes in to assist people with those other factors that are limiting them to achieve the results.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
To meet growing demand, the clinic plans to increase office space and manpower by February next year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Obesity has become an increasingly pressing health concern in Singapore, with its prevalence rising from 10.5 per cent in 2019 to 2020 to 12.7 per cent in latest figures in 2024, according to the Health Ministry.\u00a0<\/p>\n
TTSH\u2019s Dr Lee noted that 22.3 per cent of the population falls into a high-risk body mass index (BMI) category, meaning they are at greater risk of weight-related health problems.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, 43.6 per cent have abdominal obesity, defined as a waist circumference exceeding 90cm for men and 80cm for women. This is particularly relevant for Asian populations, who tend to accumulate more fat around the abdomen compared with Caucasians.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Beyond clinics, NHG Health also runs community programmes to help individuals manage their weight and prevent complications. These initiatives have also seen sign-ups double over the past two years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Its Fitter Life programme targets overweight people who do not yet have chronic conditions, helping them adopt healthier lifestyle habits to reduce their risk of developing such diseases.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, its Lighter Life programme helps individuals with existing chronic conditions better manage their health and improve their overall well-being.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dr Lee stressed that treating obesity is not simply about achieving a lower number on the weighing scale.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Excessive and unhealthy body fat can increase the risk of chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, metabolic liver disease and obstructive sleep apnoea.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s not the weight that we’re treating. We are really hoping to improve the health through treating the obesity,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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