Biggest loser awarded AED 18,000 cash prize for losing 36 kgs

10 weeks challenge organised by RAK Hospital saw more than 10,000 participants.
Average weight loss of 10 kgs per participant was recorded.

4th March 2022 - RAK, UAE: 10-weeks of sheer hard work, determination, motivation and self-discipline was witnessed as 10,944 participants across UAE battled their bulge at ‘The RAK Biggest Weight Loser Challenge’ launched by RAK Hospital in association with Ministry of Health and Prevention, Ras Al Khaimah. While the top four winners recorded a combined weight loss of 126 kgs, all the 16 winners; one male and one female each, in physical, virtual and percentage of weight lost categories along with top 10 highest weight loss winners were announced on 4th March 2022 which also marks World Obesity Day.

The annual CSR initiative of RAK hospital that aims to combat the obesity pandemic saw an average weight loss of 10 kgs per participant. In Physical category Mr. Ghazwan Abdulilah Dakak took home AED 18,000 as cash prize after losing 36 kgs and AED 16,000 was awarded to Ms. Hadeel Mohd Ahmed Hasan for dropping 31.9kgs.

The challenge was organised in 3 categories wherein Physical category registered 5655 participants, 5289 were registered in Virtual category and 9 Corporate teams in corporate category fought for the top spot. Mr. Ferdaus Nalladaroo with a weight loss of 27 kgs and Ms. Alaa Elkhider with a weight loss of 31 kgs were announced as winners of the Virtual category. The Corporate team event was won by RAK Therm LLC. Apart from raining cash prizes, the top 10 weight losers won staycations at 5 star properties of Waldorf Astoria, Hilton Beach Resort and Rixos Hotel in Ras Al Khaimah, Annual Gym Membership from GymNation and complimentary Swiss Medical checks by RAK Hospital.
Congratulating the winners at awards ceremony held at RAK Hospital, Dr. Raza Siddiqui, Executive Director, RAK Hospital and CEO Arabian Healthcare Group, said, “Statistically, obesity continues to be the most significant health crisis that we face globally with UAE ranked 5th in the Global Obesity Index. It has also dramatically compounded effects from COVID 19. At RAK Hospital we continue our fight against obesity by encouraging UAE residents to adopt healthy lifestyle choices, one such initiative as a part of our CSR campaign is organizing ‘The RAK Biggest Weight Loser Challenge’. I want to not only congratulate the winners but also each and every participant who contested, as taking a decision and conscious step towards healthier lifestyle is a winning moment in itself. We are thrilled that more than 10,000 participants embarked on their fitness journey with us inspiring people around them to be fit as well”.

'While the RAK Biggest Weight Losers Challenge continues to be a personal journey towards good health for many, it has also become an event for the family, with family members either joining the challenge or supporting its members to lose weight, by themselves adhering to healthy dieting and daily exercise. In addition, organizations are also utilising the Weight Losers Challenge as an opportunity to motivate its overweight employees to lose weight by competing against overweight employees in other corporates. With tens of thousands of individuals participating across the UAE, this is fast becoming a social movement”, said Prof. Adrian Kennedy, Chief Wellness Officer, Arabian Wellness & Lifestyle Management, the wellness division of RAK Hospital.

Commenting on the experience, Mr. Ghazwan Abdulilah Dakak, male winner in the physical category said, “I am grateful to the team of RAK Hospital for motivating me and keeping the enthusiasm alive by sharing weekly diet tips, exercise routines and organizing web seminars by top medical experts. This helped me develop specific and measurable goals and work towards them incrementally. Seeing these results has given me strength, confidence, and determination to continue to remain fit and healthy. I am happy to experience this massive transformation as I feel active, lighter and energetic than ever before.”

Ms. Hadeel Mohd Ahmed Hasan, the female winner in the physical weight-loss category intends to keep her dietary changes and exercise schedule permanent. Gleaming with smile and new freshness she commented, “It was not at all easy to continue the challenge for 10 weeks. But I was determined to lose weight and my family supported me incredibly. I strictly followed the instructions of doctors from RAK Hospital and made small changes every day to my diet with a conscious effort to eat healthy and avoid junk food”.

The biggest loser challenge, a team effort of RAK Hospital was designed in such a way that the 10 weeks program started on 17th December 2021 and ended on World Obesity Day. The weights and BMI of the participants were recorded in the beginning of the challenge and the final weighing in was conducted on 1st & 2nd March 2022, in which several hundred participants either came to RAK Hospital or sent in their weight loss certificates. The programme is supported by several sponsors including, Gulf Drug LLC (platinum sponsor), Al Hamra (Gold Sponsor) Phillips (silver sponsor), Waldrof Astoria, Hilton, Rixos, and GymNation are bronze sponsors.