Living with obesity requires modifications, acceptance

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MANILA, Philippines — It took guts for Jacklyn Cabantog to get up in front of a room full of people to talk about her struggles with overweight. At a recent health forum organized by a pharmaceutical company, the 44-year-old recounted how she used to wake up at night feeling ravenous even if she had already had dinner a few hours before. She would then end up snacking in the middle of the night. 

“I didn’t understand what was happening to me and why I was having these cravings which I gave in to,” Cabantog said. Instead of seeking medical attention, she lived with it for years and was only diagnosed with obesity when she turned 38.

Now a member of Philippine Diabetes Support (PDS), Cabantog has learned to accept her condition and the importance of legitimate medical supervision. 

“Since my diagnosis, I’ve also learned to be kinder to myself and realized that it’s best to seek help from medical professionals.”   

In its bid to address the growing obesity and diabetes crisis in the country, Zuellig Pharma has partnered with PDS to institutionalize patients-centered education and advocacy efforts. PDS is an organization that supports individuals living with diabetes and related metabolic conditions.

In the Philippines, overweight continues to be seen as a source of ridicule. Dr. Luzviminda Katigbak, president of the Philippine Association for the Study  of Overweight and Obesity, presented a local news clip where a woman was mocked when she tried to board a jeepney. Katigbak also pointed out how some people feel embarrassed when clinic staff announce their weight during routine checkups. 

“If you want to break the stigma, you need to speak up,” Katigbak said, noting how the woman in the jeepney incident went on to file a complaint against the driver. She had initially only asked that the driver apologize but instead he doubled down on his derision.     

Katigbak also said that commonly used terms when describing overweight should likewise be replaced. “Instead of describing a person as obese, it should be ‘person living with obesity.’ It should be ‘healthy eating,’ not ‘diet’; ‘increased physical activity,’ not ‘exercise’; and ‘wholistic lifestyle modifications,’ not ‘lifestyle changes.’”

The pharmaceutical company and PDS will help educate communities and drive awareness around recognizing obesity and diabetes as chronic diseases that could require long-term medical care.

At an event held earlier this year, professor Luc Van Gaal of the University of Antwerp pointed out how overweight or obesity affects the entire body.

“There is no one single tissue in the body that escapes from the effect of obesity. All are affected thus there is a need for a central approach. [The aim is] not just weight loss but weight management,” Van Gaal said.

RELATED: Beyond weight and willpower: How obesity is a chronic, treatable disease