The Health Bureau (SSM) hosted a press conference titled “Healthy Weight Self-Management” yesterday at the bureau’s conference hall adjacent to the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre.
According to SSM Disease Prevention and Control Centre Health Promotion Division Chief Wong Weng Man, the bureau will host the four-month long healthy weight promotion drive named “Citywide Weight Loss Challenge - The Power of Nutrition and Exercise” between February 9 and May 9. The online registration started yesterday.
Wong also said that the challenge is divided into individual and team categories. According to Wong, the individual category can accommodate up to 100 participants, while each team must consist of three to five members. The maximum number of participants in the challenge amounts to 250. Participants who reduce their body weight by 3 percent or more by the end of the challenge will receive a sports watch. For teams, if all members meet the weight-loss target, each will receive a sports watch, and the team will collectively be awarded an additional 500 patacas in sports equipment vouchers.
According to Wong, in alignment with World Obesity Day on March 4, the bureau will organise a walking event on March 1 next year. The initiative, according to Wong, aims to engage participants in the weight-loss challenge and their families, encouraging them to incorporate physical activity into their daily routines as a sustainable approach to weight management. Wong also said that the event also seeks to foster mutual support among participants and enhance the collective momentum of the campaign.
Meanwhile, Wong also said that according to the “2016 Macau Health Survey” over half of the adult population in Macau exceeded the ideal weight range, reflecting a 5.7 percent increase compared to the 2006 data. Wong also pointed out that the bureau will conduct another “Macau Health Survey” next year to assess residents’ current weight status. Wong said he expected that the weight metrics among local residents are likely to show an upward trend.
This handout image photo provided by the Health Bureau yesterday shows the prizes in its weight-loss challenge starting next year.
