Neighborhood clinics battle the bulge

​A therapist guides a patient on muscle strength training at a weight loss clinic of Dapuqiao Community Health Service Center in Shanghai's Huangpu district on the evening of April 2, 2025. [Photo/IC]

To help the city's residents manage their widening waistlines, Shanghai is establishing a citywide network of community weight management clinics.

According to the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Health, 181 of the city's 246 community health centers have opened weight management clinics. Staffed by family doctor teams, these centers provide one-stop services that include health assessments, personalized nutrition guidance, exercise plans, and behavioral interventions.

The program is being piloted in seven districts, including Pudong New Area and Changning district. After receiving professional training in exercise prescription, family doctors design customized plans that combine diet and physical activity for each patient.

Through regular follow-ups, doctors track changes in weight, blood pressure, and blood sugar, adjusting plans and offering psychological encouragement.

This long-term partnership between patients and family doctors helps address common challenges such as weight rebound and lack of persistence in lifestyle changes.

As an integral part of the city's healthcare system, these community clinics ensure that more residents' health — starting with their weight — is actively managed, strengthening the overall health of citizens.

In addition, 238 smart health stations across the city are being upgraded with new weight management modules, allowing residents to conduct self-assessments, calculate body indexes, and receive personalized health reports.

Nationally, 34.3 percent of Chinese adults are overweight and 16.4 percent are obese, according to the National Health Commission.

In response, authorities launched a nationwide campaign in 2024 aimed at creating a supportive environment for weight control within three years. Hospitals are being encouraged to set up obesity prevention and control centers to provide comprehensive weight management services.