Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 2 Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Asia Pac J Public Health, 2002;14(2):99-104.
PMID: 12862414 DOI: 10.1177/101053950201400208

Abstract

The practice of losing weight is gaining popularity globally with an increase in health consciousness among the general public. A survey was conducted in seven shopping centres in Kuala Lumpur and its neighbouring towns to assess the weight-loss practices of the general public. Out of the 1032 people approached by the researcher, 389 (37.7%) admitted that they had tried to lose weight before. Of these respondents, 50.4% had the wrong perceptions about their weight with 39.1% of the respondents having BMI lower than what they had perceived. The most common weight-loss method used was dieting (89.5%), followed by exercise (81%) and the use of slimming teas (24.9%). Exercise (79.0%) was perceived as the most effective method for losing weight, followed by dieting (71.6%). Most respondents (60.6%) obtained their weight-loss products from the pharmacies but only 34.9% of these respondents had consulted the pharmacists on these products. Therefore, pharmacists should play a more active role in assisting the general public to lose weight successfully and safely.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.