Kuala Lumpur, 3 September 2026 — When it comes to weight, many people focus on what they see in the mirror or the number on the weighing scale. However, health experts are increasingly emphasising that where fat is stored can matter as much as how much a person weighs.
This is particularly relevant in Malaysia, where abdominal obesity remains an important health concern. The National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023 found that 54.5% of Malaysian adults had abdominal obesity based on waist circumference criteria, up from 45.4% in 2011. For individuals, understanding abdominal fat is important because a person’s weight or Body Mass Index (BMI) alone does not provide a complete picture of metabolic health and not all body fat behaves in the same way.1
Subcutaneous fat is stored beneath the skin and is the type of fat that is generally visible or can be felt around areas such as the abdomen, hips and thighs. Visceral fat, on the other hand, is stored deeper inside the abdominal cavity around internal organs. This distinction matters because excess visceral fat is associated with a range of metabolic health risks, including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and chronic inflammation.
Importantly, an individual does not necessarily need to appear severely overweight to have increased abdominal or visceral fat. This means relying exclusively on body weight or appearance may give people a false sense of reassurance about their health. “Many people think that if their weight is not extremely high, there is no reason to be concerned. But weight alone does not tell the whole story. Abdominal obesity can be an important warning sign of underlying metabolic risk. This is why it is important to look beyond kilograms lost and consider factors such as waist circumference, body composition, medical history and metabolic health when assessing an individual’s weight management needs,” said Dr. Foo Wing Jian, Senior Aesthetic Doctor and LCP holder at Premier Clinic.
For many people, losing weight is not simply a matter of willpower. The body has sophisticated biological mechanisms that regulate hunger, satiety, energy intake and body weight. During weight loss, changes in appetite and other physiological processes can make it difficult for some individuals to maintain their initial weight loss over the long term. This is one reason why repeated cycles of dieting and weight regain can occur. While nutrition, physical activity, sleep and behavioural changes remain important foundations of healthy weight management, some individuals may require additional medical support.
This has contributed to the growing role of medical weight management, where healthcare professionals assess an individual’s health and weight-related risks before determining whether medical treatment may be appropriate. One of the significant developments in this area is Mounjaro (tirzepatide), a once-weekly prescription medicine used under medical supervision. The importance of tirzepatide lies in its dual hormonal mechanism of action. Mounjaro activates both GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptors. These hormones are involved in regulating appetite, food intake and glucose metabolism.
By acting on these pathways, tirzepatide can help eligible patients experience reduced appetite and increased feelings of fullness, which can support a reduction in food intake and, alongside appropriate lifestyle measures, meaningful weight loss. This represents an important shift from the traditional perception that weight loss is simply about eating less and exercising more.
“Medications such as tirzepatide are changing the way we think about obesity because they address some of the biological pathways involved in appetite and metabolism. For certain patients, this treatment can provide an additional tool alongside nutrition, physical activity and behavioural changes. However, Mounjaro is a prescription treatment and should be used following proper medical assessment and under the supervision of a qualified healthcare professional,” explained Dr. Foo.
The increasing popularity of weight-loss medications has also created a need for greater public education. Not everyone who wants to lose weight is necessarily an appropriate candidate for prescription weight-management medication. Treatment decisions should take into consideration factors such as BMI, waist circumference, existing medical conditions, medications, metabolic health, lifestyle and individual treatment goals.
For Premier Clinic, the growing focus on medical weight management reflects a broader shift in how obesity is understood. The objective should not simply be rapid weight reduction. Instead, sustainable weight management should consider metabolic health, body composition, lifestyle and the underlying factors contributing to weight gain.
As weight-related health concerns continue to affect Malaysians, greater public understanding is needed to move the conversation beyond appearance and short-term dieting. Recognising the difference between visible body fat and visceral fat, understanding the biological factors that influence weight, and knowing when medical intervention may be appropriate can empower individuals to make more informed health decisions.
Medical weight management including treatments such as Mounjaro where clinically appropriate, represents an evolving area of healthcare. Its role is not to replace healthy lifestyle habits or promote rapid cosmetic weight loss, but to provide evidence-based medical support for individuals who may require more than lifestyle intervention alone.
By taking an individualised and medically guided approach, Premier Clinic aims to support patients with appropriate medical assessment, personalised treatment planning, lifestyle guidance and ongoing professional monitoring for healthier and more sustainable long-term outcomes.
For more information, visit www.premier-clinic.com
