Lifestyle | Wellness
Live lighter: Tatler and Novo Nordisk bring together 3 doctors to talk about weight management and wellness
By Tobias Jared TomasSep 02, 2026
CoverHost Yanah Laurel Siguion-Reyna with our speakers: Dr Jaycy Violago-Olivarez, Dr Maricar Esculto-Khan and Dr Rosa Sy as they discuss health, wellness and weight management
Novo Nordisk
Tatler House Dialogues and Novo Nordisk bring together three doctors for “Live Lighter”, a fireside chat on holistic approaches to weight management and healthier living
There is no single approach or panacea to weight management and healthier living. However, it can be difficult to sift through the ocean of medical terms and conflicting advice given to us. How do we figure out what method or treatment works best for us? To answer these questions and more, Tatler House Dialogues and Novo Nordisk have come together for “Live Lighter”, an event by TatlerPhilippines. We gathered together three experts for a fireside chat to untangle the complexities before us
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AboveYanah Laurel Siguion-Reyna
AboveNovo Nordisk Philippines general manager Wei Sun, Tatler Philippines managing editor Irene Martel Francisco and Novo Nordisk Philippines product manager Julio Araneta
Amid freeflowing bubbly and canapés, The amiable Yanah Laurel Siguion-Reyna served as our evening’s host, together with an impressive lineup of speakers. Leading the discussion were Makati Medical Center’s Dr Maricar Esculto-Khan, head of the nutrition and dietetics department and chair of the nutrition management team; Cardinal Santos Medical Center’s Dr Rosa Sy, section chief of endocrinology, department of medicine; and Dr Jaycy Violago-Olivarez, founder and CEO of Eluvo, a modern healthcare platform focused on reproductive, hormonal, maternal and preventive care.
See more: Xiglo by Belo Medical Group launches in Rockwell as its first precision longevity clinic
AboveDr Jaycy Violago-Olivarez
AboveDr Rosa Sy
AboveDr Maricar Esculto-Khan
Successful weight management, the panel stresses, is not dictated solely by what the number on the weighing scale says. This is an oversimplification and does not take into account the largely unmeasured benefits. “The number on the scale is just a headline,” Violago-Olivarez explains. “But more than that, it is also being aware of how different your body is depending on your life stage…What a 20-year-old needs to be healthy is very different from what a 60-year-old needs.”
Dr Esculto-Khan concurs, adding that the focus of weight management should be on its health benefits. In her consultations with patients, she always recommends methods that, when done, still enable them to live their day-to-day lives. “You should still be able to function properly,” she emphasises. “You will not feel that every day is suffering—you don’t need to overrestrict yourself.”
AboveThe forum clarified terminology and misconceptions regarding weight management
The latter is especially crucial. There are cases where sheer effort alone on the part of the patient is not enough. “You have to take into consideration [your] genetics, family history and lifestyle,” Violago-Olivarez remarks. When this happens, one should consider having an open dialogue with an expert. “It’s not going to a principal’s office,” she reassures. “It’s getting to know more about yourself deeply and being able to take control of your health better with the guidance of an expert.” These conversations are necessary to understand what treatments are needed for one’s particular case.
These assessments are only possible because of how far medical professionals have come in understanding weight-related issues. “Doctors are now more knowledgeable about the condition called obesity,” Sy notes. “It used to be a question of willpower; but now it’s classified by the World Health Organization as a disease.” This condition, therefore, is more the result of genetics and biological restraints rather than discipline being the sole determinant—though that’s not to say lifestyle changes aren’t needed. “You need to couple lifestyle modification with a pharmacological approach for the [weight] management to be sustainable,” Esculto-Khan clarifies. The patient should also frequently see their doctors for follow-up consults to ensure that their regimen is being followed safely, properly and correctly.
AboveA full house for this iteration of Tatler House Dialogues with Novo Nordisk
A question and answer session cleared up some misconceptions and clarified a few muddy details regarding weight management treatments. “We all know how to start the treatment, but there are no significant or particular guidelines yet on how to stop,” Violago-Olivarez explains. But knowing which treatment is the right one—and what factors to consider—are a different question entirely. “The effectiveness of the drug and its safety are the two things we need to consider before prescribing the medication,” Sy explains. “Second, we have to make sure that we individualise the care of our patient. What is good for Patient A might not be effective for Patient B. It has to be appropriate for the patient’s medical condition first, and then consider their preferences and goals.”
The evening’s message was clear: there is no one-size-fits-all approach for health and weight management. A combination of lifestyle modifications, medical treatment and expert consultation is needed, in addition to a deeper understanding of one’s biology and long-term goals. More than arbitrary things like discipline, equipping oneself with the knowledge and confidence to seek expert advice can lead to living lighter, healthier lives
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Credits
Photography: Ian Santos
About
Tobias wants to write things that make people think, laugh, and reflect. He’s especially proud when he can sneak in a cheeky pop-culture reference or a pun in his titles and articles.
He possesses a deep love of history, resulting from years of books, games, and museum visits. It was this fascination with the human endeavour that fostered his love of writing, spanning genres, tones, and moods. He one day hopes to write a novel—he just hasn’t decided on a genre yet. A certified homebody, you’ll often find him on the computer he built himself, binge-watchingSeinfeldorHouse,playing his favouritegachagame, or reading a book
Work
Tobias is a features writer that specialises in branded content. Reach out to him attobias.tomas@tatlerasia.com
