2nd Edition of International Obesity and Metabolism Conference 2026

Abstract

Background: Obesity is a major public health challenge in Saudi Arabia, where weight control behaviors increasingly include self directed dietary approaches, herbal products, prescription anti obesity medicines, and digital tools. Local evidence from Al Madinah is needed to guide culturally appropriate, safe, and evidence based obesity prevention and management.

Objective: To assess awareness and practices of obesity management strategies among adults in Al Madinah region, Saudi Arabia, with emphasis on intermittent fasting, herbal products, prescription anti obesity pharmacotherapy, adolescent household nutrition, and digital health tools.

Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted among 424 participants from Al Madinah region. The questionnaire captured sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, BMI categories, use and perceptions of intermittent fasting, herbal products, prescription anti obesity medicines, and smartphone or wearable tools, household adolescent weight management indicators, and associations between participant characteristics and selected weight control practices. Descriptive statistics were summarized as frequencies, percentages, and means with standard deviations. Chi square and Fisher exact tests were used for associations, with p less than 0.05 considered significant.

Results: Females represented 60.1 percent of the sample, and the largest age group was 55 years and above at 24.5 percent. Overall, 65.4 percent of participants had overweight or obesity, including overweight 30.9 percent, class I obesity 19.6 percent, class II obesity 9.2 percent, and class III obesity 5.7 percent. The most frequently used strategy was intermittent fasting 66.0 percent, followed by herbal products 43.6 percent, smartphone apps or wearables 27.6 percent, and prescription anti obesity medications 15.1 percent.

Among intermittent fasting users, the 16 to 8 pattern predominated at 62.1 percent, and weight loss was the most common motivation at 54.6 percent. However, 47.9 percent strongly disagreed that they would recommend intermittent fasting to others. Herbal products were mostly obtained from herbalists at 76.8 percent, and green tea was the most common product at 62.8 percent.

Prescription users most frequently reported GLP 1 receptor agonists at 48.4 percent. Lack of weight loss 32.8 percent and side effects 28.1 percent were the leading barriers to continuing therapy. Significant associations were observed between age and intermittent fasting use, sex and herbal product use, age and herbal product use, age and prescription use, BMI category and prescription use, and chronic condition status and prescription use.

Conclusion: Adults in Al Madinah commonly use non pharmacological and self directed weight control approaches, particularly intermittent fasting and herbal products, while prescription anti obesity medication use remains limited and concentrated among participants with higher BMI and chronic conditions. The findings support the need for integrated obesity services that combine lifestyle counseling, careful pharmacotherapy follow up, digital health governance, and community education on safe and sustainable weight management.