GLP-1 Medical Weight Management Programme

A medically supervised GLP-1 receptor agonist weight management programme combining semaglutide or liraglutide pharmacotherapy with registered dietitian support, metabolic monitoring, and personalised lifestyle coaching for sustainable, clinically meaningful weight loss.

The GLP-1 Medical Weight Management Programme at The Metabolic Clinic is Singapore's most comprehensive specialist service for obesity pharmacotherapy, designed for adults with a BMI of 27.5 or above (or 23+ with weight-related comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, or dyslipidaemia). GLP-1 receptor agonists — including semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) and liraglutide (Saxenda) — work by mimicking the natural glucagon-like peptide-1 hormone, which regulates appetite, slows gastric emptying, reduces food cravings, and improves insulin sensitivity. Clinical trials (STEP 1 trial for semaglutide) have demonstrated mean weight loss of 14.9% of body weight over 68 weeks, compared to 2.4% with placebo — representing a paradigm shift in obesity treatment. In Singapore, GLP-1 medications are HSA-approved and available by prescription only through licensed medical practitioners. The programme begins with an initial physician consultation lasting approximately 60 minutes, during which a full medical history is taken, weight and metabolic parameters assessed, and suitability for GLP-1 therapy confirmed. A baseline metabolic blood panel is ordered to rule out contraindications (pancreatitis history, medullary thyroid carcinoma, MEN2 syndrome) and to establish baseline cardiometabolic health markers. Once started, patients follow a structured dose-escalation schedule (typically starting at 0.25 mg/week semaglutide for 4 weeks, escalating gradually to the maintenance dose of 2.4 mg/week over approximately 16 weeks) to minimise gastrointestinal side effects including nausea, vomiting, and constipation. Monthly or bi-monthly physician review appointments monitor weight loss trajectory, adjust dosing, manage side effects, and address any emerging concerns. Parallel dietitian consultations are a core programme component, ensuring patients maximise the metabolic window created by GLP-1-induced appetite suppression by adopting sustainable, protein-adequate dietary habits that protect lean muscle mass during weight loss. Behavioural coaching addresses emotional eating triggers, stress-related hyperphagia, and establishes long-term lifestyle habits to sustain results after medication is tapered. The programme is particularly suitable for patients with metabolic syndrome, PCOS-associated weight gain, pre-diabetes progressing despite lifestyle changes, and obesity-related obstructive sleep apnoea. The clinic collaborates with endocrinologists, cardiologists, and bariatric surgeons for complex cases requiring multidisciplinary management.