Herbalife embarks on wellness tour in Asia-Pacific

MANILA, Philippines - Dublin-based obesity and metabolic medicine expert Dr. Carel Le Roux has raised concerns about the increasing number of obese population in the Asia-Pacific region during a brief visit to Manila in line with the first Wellness Tour of global nutrition company Herbalife.  

Le Roux, a member of the Herbalife Nutrition Advisory Board (NAB), arrived from South Korea and echoed the message of Herbalife to “live an active and healthy lifestyle.”

“People from this region are mostly heavy on the tummy. That’s where the problem lies. The challenge is to reduce the fat from the inside. This way we can keep people healthier for longer,” said Le Roux, whose study on obesity recently won the President of Ireland Young Researchers Award.

He further suggested that the way to resolve the problem of obesity is to combine good food and good supplement. “Increase the amount of protein in your diet. While there are protein-rich foods, using supplements that help people get enough protein such as Herbalife makes it easier to get your body’s need for protein,” he added.

According to Le Roux, 27 percent of the people from the Asia-Pacific are now considered overweight or obese. He warned of the health hazards and consequences of this growing threat to the region.

“Obesity is now widely recognized as a global disease. People die because of the complications of obesity. Prevent them before becoming sick of the weight, and supplementation should not be a substitute for medication,” he said.

With supplementation, Le Roux is referring to Herbalife’s Formula 1 Shake, currently the world’s top-selling meal replacement product, accounting for 28.5 percent of global meal replacement sales in 2012, according to Euromonitor International.

It is full of essential nutrients — proteins, vitamins, minerals and calcium — that are all important for the functions of a healthy body. The Shake tackles obesity and weight management issues head-on by supporting good health and effective weight control. 

The Herbalife Formula 1 Protein Shake remains the most in-demand product in the Philippines.

This is the first-ever Asia-Pacific Wellness Tour, which saw seven Herbalife NAB members and its director of fitness education visiting a total of 30 cities, including those in the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia.

With the rising trend of obesity and aging, the Herbalife Wellness Tour seeks to present insights on nutrition, healthy lifestyle and physical activity as the world’s population faces a global nutrition transition.

Aside from Le Roux, the members of the Herbalife NAB who are participating in the Wellness Tour are leading global experts in the fields of nutrition and health such as Dr. Julian Alvarez Garcia (sports medicine and sports physiology), Dr. Banu Cayci (obesity, exercise, and antioxidants), Dr. Marco de Angelis (sports medicine), Dr. Nataniel Viuniski (pediatrics and nutrition), Dr. Jonathan Yarom (sports and preventative medicine), and Dr. Rocio Medina (obesity and nutrition). Medina is also Herbalife’s vice president for worldwide nutrition training. 

These experts all based their presentations on principles of better nutrition, the importance of regular physical activity and healthy lifestyle options as a way to proactively combat the obesity epidemic, which is sweeping across the world, including the Asia-Pacific region. 

According to the World Health Organization, more than 1.4 billion adults are overweight and at least 2.8 million adults die each year as a result of being overweight or obese, which is linked to several chronic lifestyle illnesses, including diabetes and heart diseases. 

In the Asia-Pacific, the prevalence of obesity is growing fast with several countries predicted to see among the fastest growth in obesity rates between 2010 and 2020, including the Philippines.

The changing meal pattern of Filipinos is increasingly patronizing convenience and fast foods that are heavy in fat, salt, food coloring, additives, preservatives, flavoring and other artificial ingredients that are proven culprits in the development of diet-related illnesses. 

Modern lifestyle, where machines and computers have slowly invaded homes and the workplace, makes jobs less strenuous and physical, allowing fat build-up. A government study noted that a good number of Filipinos are not only overweight, but are actually clinically obese. 

From 2003 to 2008, according to the Philippine National Nutrition Survey by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology, there was an increasing trend of overweight and obesity among adults aged 20 and over. In 1998, there were about 20 out of 100 adults who were overweight. The number increased to 24 and 27 out of 100 in 2003 and 2008, respectively.

“The Asia-Pacific wellness tour,” said William Rahn, senior vice president and managing director for Herbalife Asia Pacific, “reflects our commitment to helping people pursue a healthy, active lifestyle with education, training and industry-leading nutrition products. With the obesity epidemic expected to get worse, we will play a more proactive role in helping people combat this health issue and live healthier lives.”

Herbalife, as a global company, remains committed to its mission of spreading the good news of nutrition. At the same time, it has dedicated its products to help users and the community to bring not just good nutrition but also to provide business opportunities for more Filipinos as well.

Founded in 1980, Herbalife is listed on the New York Stock Exchange with 2013 net sales of $4.8 billion.