Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, April 10 (Reporters Li Heng and Dong Ruifeng) The reporter learned from the National Health Commission on the 10th that the National Health Commission and the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine recently jointly issued the "Notice on Doing a Good Job in the Setting and Management of Weight Management Clinics", encouraging tertiary comprehensive hospitals, children's hospitals, traditional Chinese medicine hospitals (including integrated Chinese and Western medicine hospitals, and ethnic minority medical hospitals) with conditions to set up weight management clinics. The National Health Commission and the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (in charge), and the provincial (autonomous regions and municipalities)-affiliated hospitals, children's hospitals, and traditional Chinese medicine hospitals must basically achieve full coverage of weight management outpatient settings by the end of June 2025.

According to statistics, the overweight and obesity rate of residents aged 18 and above in my country has exceeded 50%, and the obesity rate of children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 is close to 20%, which has become an important cause of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The notice pointed out that the weight management clinic will be equipped with relatively fixed doctors in pediatrics, general practice, endocrinology, clinical nutrition, traditional Chinese medicine and other departments to receive the consultation, and the outpatient frequency will be reasonably arranged. Hospitals with strong comprehensive strength are encouraged to set up obesity prevention and control centers and provide hospitalized weight management related services. Encourage and support qualified primary medical and health institutions to set up weight management clinics, provide education, follow-up, health management and other services, and optimize the referral process. Hospitals with conditions are encouraged to carry out follow-up, monitoring, health guidance and other services through Internet technology, artificial intelligence, wearable devices, etc.

In response to the needs of different groups of people, the weight management clinic will adhere to classified service management: provide weight management-related consultation and evaluation, clinical nutrition, exercise rehabilitation, mental psychology, traditional Chinese medicine and other professional guidance and support; provide professional medical services for patients with obesity and nutritional metabolic disorders; and provide specialized diagnosis and treatment for patients with combined complications. Personalized weight management services are provided for key groups such as the elderly, children, pregnant women, chronic disease patients, and occupational groups with abnormal weight.

The notice requires medical personnel to follow the guidelines for weight management, nutrition and exercise guidelines for chronic diseases such as hypertension, obesity diagnosis and treatment guidelines, etc., to provide appropriate lifestyle interventions such as dietary, exercise, and mental support, to reasonably use relevant drugs, and to select appropriate treatment methods strictly according to the indications. We must strengthen the construction of the weight management talent team, reasonably allocate professionals, and fully mobilize the enthusiasm of medical personnel to engage in weight management-related diagnosis and treatment services.