During this year's National People's Congress and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, "weight management" and "weight management clinics" became hot searches due to increased waist circumference, overweight, and chronic diseases. Using weight management as a "small incision" to promote the "big project" of chronic disease prevention and control. Since June last year, the National Health Commission has jointly launched the "Weight Management Year" campaign with multiple departments. Why pay attention to weight management? What is the current situation of weight management clinics in medical institutions? The reporter conducted an interview on this matter. Overweight and Obesity: The Hidden Driver of Chronic Diseases. 35 year old Xiao Zheng (pseudonym) never expected to suffer from obstructive sleep apnea syndrome due to obesity. He woke up seven or eight times a night due to lack of ventilation while sleeping. At a young age, he has suffered from hypertension, diabetes... When he was heaviest, his weight soared to nearly 380 kg, and his "fat" life made Xiaozheng miserable. Obesity is a chronic metabolic disease caused by a combination of genetic, endocrine, and environmental factors. With the development of the economy and society and the improvement of living standards, there have been significant changes in the lifestyle and dietary structure of Chinese residents. Overweight and obesity have become major public health problems that pose a threat to public health. According to the "Report on Nutrition and Chronic Disease Status of Chinese Residents (2020)", in 2018, the overweight and obesity rates among adults in China were 34.3% and 16.4%, respectively. The overweight and obesity rates among children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 were 11.1% and 7.9%, respectively, and showed an increasing trend year by year. The "Weight Management Guidelines (2024 Edition)" previously released by the National Health Commission also pointed out that some studies predict that if this trend is not effectively curbed, the overweight and obesity rates of adults and children in China will reach 70.5% and 31.8% respectively by 2030. Obesity not only affects personal image, but also serves as an invisible driving force for various chronic diseases. Abnormal weight, especially overweight and obesity, is an important risk factor for many chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and some cancers. The increase in medical expenses, decrease in work efficiency, and decline in quality of life have led to a series of psychological problems such as low self-esteem and depression... These problems have become more prominent due to obesity. Experts remind that weight management is not just about losing weight, but also about maintaining a healthy weight and preventing chronic diseases through scientific methods. At the same time, those who are underweight or malnourished should also be taken care of. The relevant person in charge of the National Health Commission stated that they will guide medical and health institutions to establish weight management clinics, providing a good professional consulting environment and platform for residents troubled by weight problems, and helping residents to better manage their weight and live a healthy life with their own efforts and the help of professional institutions. Weight Management Outpatient: From Treatment to Prevention During visits, it was found that more and more medical institutions are opening weight management clinics to provide personalized weight management services for patients. At the Weight Management Clinic of Wenhui Street Community Health Service Center in Gongshu District, Hangzhou, patients will first measure their body data on a body fat machine and obtain a body fat percentage table; Subsequently, the doctor will ask the patient to fill out a lifestyle survey form, including whether they have breakfast, daily consumption of meat, vegetables, fruits, etc. These two tables are the basic information for every patient who comes to the weight management clinic for treatment Zhu Qiujing, Deputy Director of Wenhui Street Community Health Service Center, said that the Weight Management Clinic is based on lifestyle medicine theory and has formed a multidisciplinary team including general practitioners, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, nutrition instructors, fitness coaches, exercise rehabilitation therapists, and psychological counselors. Through the "many to one" online supervision and management method, it helps management objects gradually develop a healthy lifestyle of "scientific and reasonable diet, regular and appropriate exercise", achieving the goal of reducing weight, lowering body fat, controlling the occurrence and development of chronic diseases, and improving residents' healthy living standards. At the weight management clinic of Wenhui Street Community Health Service Center in Gongshu District, Hangzhou, doctors conduct physical examinations for patients with weight management needs. (Image provided by interviewee) At the Weight Management Clinic of Maigaoqiao Community Health Service Center in Nanjing, the health manager established an electronic health record for the patient and signed a sports intervention service package after inquiring about the patient's situation in detail. Exercise prescription specialists, nutritionists, and rehabilitation therapists conduct comprehensive assessments of the health status of patients and develop personalized exercise prescriptions and nutritional diets. Traditional Chinese medicine has also become a magic weapon for many weight management clinics. Ms. Ji, who is 42 years old, once weighed 80 kilograms and had a waist circumference of 113 centimeters. Last October, she came to the Weight Management Outpatient Department of Dongxin Street Community Health Service Center in Hangzhou for treatment and was diagnosed with obesity type polycystic ovary syndrome. Unlike typical obese patients, she is obese due to endocrine disorders caused by polycystic ovary syndrome Based on Ms. Ji's pulse and tongue coating condition, physician Li Hang diagnosed her with spleen kidney yang deficiency combined with phlegm, dampness, cold drink and blood stasis syndrome in traditional Chinese medicine, and prescribed a Chinese medicine decoction to regulate endocrine balance. After taking traditional Chinese medicine orally for one month, combined with appropriate exercise and dietary management, Ms. Ji lost 8 kilograms in weight, 19 centimeters in waist circumference, and her body mass index decreased from 30 to 26.8. At the Weight Management Outpatient Department of Dongxin Street Community Health Service Center in Hangzhou, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners are performing traditional Chinese medicine thread embedding therapy for patients. Experts say that weight management clinics mainly provide scientific, systematic, and personalized weight loss plans for individuals who have failed to control their weight effectively, have repeatedly lost weight, or are severely obese from the perspectives of nutrition, exercise, and psychological support. It can be gradually popularized nationwide through pilot promotion. At the same time, strengthen the weight management capabilities of grassroots medical institutions to benefit more people. Get Moving: Making Weight Management a Lifestyle. The key to weight control is for everyone to participate, pay attention to and understand their weight, and gain health benefits from weight management. Only then can the rising trend of overweight and obesity rates in society be effectively curbed, "said the person in charge of the Medical Emergency Department of the National Health Commission. Since the launch of the "Weight Management Year" campaign, various regions and departments have attached great importance to it and actively responded. Nanchang City has issued the "Nanchang City Weight Management Year" campaign plan, which clearly states that "high salt, high sugar, and high-fat foods should be avoided from being sold within 500 meters of the campus and surrounding areas"; Shunyi District of Beijing has launched the creation of health promotion schools and star rated demonstration schools, continuously improving the school's health environment, and achieving a 100% completion rate of health promotion schools... In response to key areas and populations in weight management, relevant departments have issued a series of technical documents, such as the 2024 version of weight management guidelines, the 2024 version of core knowledge for resident weight management, the "Ten Essentials" for overweight and obesity prevention and control among primary and secondary school students, and the nutrition and exercise guidelines for chronic diseases such as hypertension. These documents provide technical support for medical and health professionals, as well as classification guidance for weight management for different populations... In order to mobilize the enthusiasm of the whole nation to participate, the 9th "Ten Thousand Steps with Appointment" Health Walk Incentive Competition attracted nearly 190000 people from all over the country to participate in the healthy weight competition; The Family Session of the Healthy China Action Knowledge and Action Competition saw more than 30000 families "team up" to participate in check-in and interaction, further promoting weight management knowledge... The relevant person in charge of the Medical Emergency Department of the National Health Commission stated that they will continue to promote the "Weight Management Year" activity, strengthen the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases, promote the implementation of the responsibilities of the government, industry, units, and individuals, continue to do a good job in promoting knowledge related to chronic disease prevention and weight management, and pay attention to the combination of prevention and treatment, providing personalized services. (New Society)