-       RAK Hospital and UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) – Ras Al Khaimah Office join hands for the initiative
 
-       AED 500 up for grabs for every kilo shed by the winner!
 
-        More than 3000 participants to register for the challenge

-        UAE ranked 5th in Global Obesity Index

13th December - 2021; RAK, UAE: Continuing its commitment towards a fitter and healthier UAE and in line with the country’s vision and national agenda, which aims to reduce obesity, RAK Hospital in association with the Ministry of Health and Prevention, Ras Al Khaimah, today announced the country’s largest weight-loss competition, the ‘RAK Biggest Weight Loser Challenge’ (RBWL).
 
The 10-week challenge which commences on 17th December 2021 and culminates on ‘World Obesity Day’ on 4th March 2022, is expecting participation from over 3000 people across UAE.
 
Divided into three distinct categories – Physical, Virtual, and Corporate, the challenge calls upon all UAE nationals and residents to come forward and become part of this health movement. What's more, they also get to win big – with AED 500 to be won for each kg lost in the Physical category, the winner could earn thousands of dirhams for losing weight. 

There are other exciting prizes in the Virtual Category and the Corporate teams compete for the ‘Annual Weight Losers Trophy’. So participants get 10 weeks to become leaner, stronger, fitter, and richer! 
 
The challenge which was launched at RAK Hospital in the presence of Chief Guest Khalid Abdulla Al Shehhi, Director of the Representative Office, Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) – Ras Al Khaimah, will begin with the weighing of participating candidates under the Physical Category from 17-19 December at the Hospital premises. A team of doctors, nurses and support staff will be available to measure the weight and other vital parameters of the participants and register them for the challenge.
 
UAE residents who are keen on being part of the contest but unable to attend the physical event, can participate through ‘Virtual Category’ wherein they weigh in at their local clinic and upload the authenticated registration form on the contest website. And for those who love teamwork and need the motivation to cut the flab can participate via the ‘Corporate Teams Challenge’ category.
 
Moreover, the winners get to win big with plenty of prizes to be won under each category ranging from cash prizes, complimentary staycations, health and holiday packages, dining vouchers etc.
 
“We invite all UAE residents to be part of this novel initiative, which aims to motivate people of all ages to become a better version of themselves by getting fitter and healthier. Even though the pandemic has moved our focus on health and wellness, many of us are still unaware of the complications that obesity poses. Our holistic campaign will not only motivate the community members to take charge of their health but will also guide them in every step of their journey through individualized charts, weekly nutrition and exercise tips, webinars, and customized solutions to achieve the desired outcome”, said Dr. Raza Siddiqui, Executive Director at RAK Hospital.
 
The UAE is ranked 5th in the Global Obesity Index with 40.1% of the adult population, 40% of 11 to 16-year-olds, and 20% of children under the age of 11 classified as obese. 

“Most of the people today are not health conscious which means they lack self-awareness of one’s health and willingness to make healthy choices. Being big is widely associated with being strong and unhealthy food is associated with being tasty. This leads to higher BMI eventually increasing the risk of heart diseases, higher blood pressure, diabetes, breathing problems etc. RAK Hospital’s initiative along with MOHAP is to create this awareness and health consciousness through the Biggest Weight Loser Challenge”, further elaborated Dr. Siddiqui.
 
During the 10-week period, the participants will be given diet tips by nutritionists, practical and participative exercise sessions. Webinars by qualified experts on various topics relating to obesity, lifestyle management, myths of weight loss, etc. will be conducted throughout to support their journey. The free webinars will be held every Saturday starting 25th December and will run until 26th Feb 2022.
 
Dr. Jean-Marc Guaer, CEO, RAK Hospital, commented, “Wrong food choices, lack of exercise, and obesity often are the precursors of health issues and sometimes even serious conditions and diseases. Adequate education and proper guidance are the key factors to mitigate the effects of obesity. We at RAK Hospital are day by day at the forefront of helping our community to overcome obesity-related conditions and strongly believe that prevention is always better than cure. It is with this in mind, that we have come up with the ‘Biggest Weight Loser' initiative, to help the obese members of the community through in-depth assessment, education, and guidance paired with the additional incentive of some fantastic rewards.”
 
Divulging more details, Prof. Adrian Kennedy, Chief Wellness Officer, Arabian Wellness & Lifestyle Management, said, “Almost 50% of the Emirati population including children is overweight. As a consequence, a large section of the adult population is diabetic and cardiac prone. Whereas in children, this results in depression and poor performance. Our 10-week RAK biggest weight losers challenge is not only aimed at Ras Al Khaimah residents but our virtual category invites residents from all Emirates to participate from the comfort of their homes. We also have an exciting corporate team challenge with the corporate team challenging other corporates for the biggest weight losers’ trophy. In our RAK biggest weight losers challenge the more you lose, the more you win in terms of good health.'
 
Winners under all three categories will be announced on 4th March and felicitated at an exclusive awards ceremony. There will be a total of 5 winners - 2 winners each – one male and one female in the physical and virtual category while one Corporate Team will take the winning trophy.

The weight of each participant in the Physical category will be measured at RAK hospital at the beginning and end of the challenge. Those in the Virtual Category need to measure weight at any nearby clinic and keep the record for claiming their prize.