SINGAPORE: The Singapore General Hospital (SGH) has been seeing more patients with eating disorders or weight problems.

That is why SGH has set up the centre for Lifestyle Improvement and Fitness Enhancement, or LIFE, to treat such lifestyle ailments.

42-year-old Lim Kim Huat comes to the centre twice a week to work out and learn about good weight management, including getting tips on a good diet.

It is also to take control of his life, especially after he witnessed some of his friends who were diagnosed with diabetes and one of them who suffered a heart attack.

Mr Lim said: "My belly was so big that I had to change the office table because I can't open it. And when I drive, I always hit my steering and that's the reason why I go for this programme. Hopefully, I can slim down."

And that's exactly what he's managed to do. From 73 kilogrammes, he shed three kg in the three months since he signed up with the LIFE Centre.

He said: "Now, I totally slim down. I can wear anything I want. I can choose any brand I want. Last time, I couldn’t buy certain brands because they do not have my size. When I went to buy my pants, I used to tell them ‘size 38’ but very softly. But now I'm proud to tell them, 'Can I have size 34?’"

This is also the case for 60-year-old Agnes Lim who has been battling obesity for some years. Since she was referred to the centre about four years ago, she has whittled down from a hefty 94 kg to a trimmer 73 kg.

She said: "I'm a very happy person now. When you are big, you are clumsier. Now it's different."

Besides creating lifestyle modifications through exercise and a proper diet, the centre also provides counselling and hypnotherapy, which is a treatment that uses hypnosis to help with physical or emotional problems.

The programmes are managed by a multi-disciplinary team which includes doctors, physiotherapists and dieticians.

Dr Lee Ee Lian, Clinical Director of SGH's LIFE Centre, said: "As their condition improves, the number of complications that they have from their medical problems will be lessened as well.

"For example, a diabetic patient who is obese and whose condition gets better, the blood circulation will also get better and they are less likely to have gangrene on their feet that will require amputation. So, outpatient attendances will be minimised and complications and hospitalisation will also be reduced.

"So, we are actually looking at improving the lifestyle of patients with a long-term goal of eventually helping them achieve good overall health and reduce any medical complications."

SGH’s LIFE Centre is also equipped with a kitchen, where patients can learn how to cook meals which best suit their conditions.

For those with eating disorders, this is also the place where they have supervised meals to encourage them to eat right.

Anyone interested in the programmes at the LIFE Centre can call 6326-6697 to sign up. - CNA/vm