Obesity experts from Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) will host a series of four live webinars in Arabic designed to help people lose weight and live healthy lifestyles.
The first one-hour session of the Tawazon programme will go live at 4pm on November 28, and is to be hosted through Microsoft Teams.
Each of the sessions will have a different focus: November 28: What is obesity?; December 5: The importance of lifestyle changes; December 12: What is mindful eating?; and December 17: Making smart choices every day.
All sessions will take place at 4pm on the four days.
The webinars have been developed by HMC obesity expert Prof Shahrad Taheri, senior consultant at HMC and a professor at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q).
Each webinar will be conducted in Arabic and include special appearances by a number of experts from the National Obesity Treatment Center (part of Qatar Metabolic Institute at HMC), including physicians, dietitians and nurses.
“The webinars are based on extensive clinical experience and research in weight management,” said Prof Abdul-Badi Abou-Samra, director of the Qatar Metabolic Institute and chief quality officer at HMC.
“People who have obesity, compared to those with a normal or healthy weight, are at increased risk for several serious diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. The aim of the series is to give the wider community an opportunity to start building a healthier life by providing them with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. These are evidence-based strategies,” he added.
Prof Abou-Samra said the timing of the new programme is important "as we continue to battle Covid-19".
“While the vast majority of people who contract Covid-19 have mild or no symptoms, there is evidence to suggest that people who are obese are at a greater risk from complications of the virus,” he said.
Prof Taheri said many people want to lose weight and lead a healthier lifestyle but do not know where to start and many also need psychological support for their journey.
“Over the past few months, people have been staying at home – this means less physical activity and a greater chance of overeating. It also means higher levels of anxiety - many people overeat when they are worried or feel disconnected from others,” Prof Taheri said.
“Through the Tawazon programme, we want to give essential information in an approachable format and proven strategies to build a community and to enable people to share this journey to health. To get the maximum benefit from the webinars, it is best to attend all of them from the beginning. Come and join us to move towards a healthier future together,” Prof Taheri added.
To register for the Tawazon programme, one has to visit https://hamad.wufoo.com/forms/q1o4jkgo0k3f4yq/
