According to Dr. Dante Morales of the Philippine Heart Association, “obesity is the common thread in a ripple effect that complicates every major health indicator in the Philippines, from heart disease to renal failure.”
Local and international medical authorities have stressed the need
strengthen public understanding of obesity and diabetes as diseases that
need holistic, urgent care and early intervention.
At a forum
spearheaded by Zuellig Pharma, a leading health care solutions company
in Asia, with members of the media on Jan. 27, the medical authorities
noted that despite the increasing local and worldwide prevalence of
obesity and its long-term consequences, Filipinos, including healthcare
professionals, have a slow acceptance of obesity as a disease due to the
prevailing misconception and stigma surrounding it.
According to
Dr. Dante Morales of the Philippine Heart Association, “obesity is the
common thread in a ripple effect that complicates every major health
indicator in the Philippines, from heart disease to renal failure; this
is why weight control is the cornerstone of preventing metabolic
collapse in our patient population.”
Recent reports have also
highlighted the scale of the economic impact, estimating that obesity
may be costing the Philippine economy P2 trillion, draining public
health funds and weakening the country’s workforce productivity. Medical
expenses for complications such as kidney disease and heart conditions
also form a large part of the financial burden for patients.
In
the Philippines, latest data available shows that the adult prevalence
of diabetes is at 7.5 percent, corresponding to 4.7 million adults, with
87 percent either overweight or obese. Moreover, 39.8 percent of adult
Filipinos are suffering from obesity while 17.3 percent are overweight.
Simply put, six out of 10 adults are burdened by weight problems,
putting them at five times the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
Held
at the Conrad Hotel in Pasay Cityt, the forum brought together
professors Luc Van Gaal (University of Antwerp), David Cummings
(University of Washington), and Roger Chen (University of Sydney),
alongside Philippine medical leaders Morales and Dr. Louella Santos
(Philippine Heart Association), Dr. Rima Tan (Institute for Studies on
Diabetes Foundation Inc.), Dr. Luzviminda Katigbak (Philippine
Association for the Study of Overweight and Obesity), Dr. Elaine Cunanan
(Philippine College of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism) and
Dr. Fatma Tiu (Diabetes Philippines).
These leaders represent the
country’s premier medical societies, which have recently united in a
partnership to fight obesity and diabetes.
Through a deep dive
into the crisis of obesity and diabetes in the Philippines, members of
the media were given critical context on the diseases, particularly the
need for a synchronized holistic approach to improve patient outcomes.
Unmet needs: why traditional therapies fail or fall short
Older
diabetes therapies face challenges with patient adherence,
tolerability, and cost. Additionally, 20 to 30 percent of patients have a
poor response to long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists
or GLP-1 RAs, which are used to treat obesity and Type 2 diabetes, with
over 50 percent not achieving weight loss goals.
A discussion on
the need for less invasive therapies with fewer side effects and lower
administration frequencies also indicated an appreciation for
breakthrough treatments that are safer and more effective in treating
obesity.
Cummings explained the science behind the incretin
agonist: “By activating the dual GIP and GLP-1 RA, we are essentially
communicating with the brain and the metabolic system simultaneously.
This doesn’t just lower blood sugar; it resets the body’s weight
set-point, offering clinical results that were previously difficult to
achieve through traditional means.”
Zuellig Pharma’s newly
launched “First Move to My Best Me” campaign, a patient-focused digital
platform designed to raise awareness of obesity as a chronic disease,
was discussed during the forum. The microsite provides credible,
medically grounded information to empower individuals to take control of
their condition and prioritize consultations with their healthcare
professionals. It also reinforces a fundamental truth: meaningful change
begins when patients take the first step – starting their journey
toward managing and overcoming obesity.
Forum participants also
addressed the rise of online sellers offering illegally compounded
versions of the GIP and GLP-1 RAs, cautioning against the serious risks
posed by unregulated and unauthorized products that have not been
evaluated or approved by government agencies.
The group
underscored the importance of avoiding counterfeit or illicit versions
and urged the public to consult qualified doctors to determine the most
appropriate therapy for their condition.