Yes. Dr Nick Petropoulos at Equilibrium Health in Modderfontein, Johannesburg, is a trained obesity medicine physician with direct prescribing authority for GLP-1 receptor agonists including semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro). GLP-1 therapy is prescribed within a comprehensive metabolic assessment and management programme, not as a standalone prescription.

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that reduces appetite and slows gastric emptying. Tirzepatide is a dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist, activating two hormone pathways at once. The SURMOUNT-5 trial (2025) showed greater average weight loss with tirzepatide in a head-to-head comparison. Both require a prescription and medical supervision. The right choice depends on individual metabolic profile, comorbidities and tolerability.

This is a common presentation with identifiable biological causes: leptin resistance, insulin resistance, chronic low-grade inflammation in fat tissue, hormonal shifts (menopause, declining testosterone), sleep-related disruption of ghrelin and leptin, and thyroid dysfunction among them. The simple “calories in, calories out” model doesn’t account for these. A proper metabolic assessment identifies which mechanism is dominant for you.

A comprehensive 60–90 minute assessment: a detailed metabolic and clinical history, body composition analysis using InBody technology, interpretation of metabolic blood markers (glucose, insulin, HbA1c, lipids, thyroid, inflammatory markers) and a discussion of individualised treatment options, such as lifestyle, GLP-1 pharmacotherapy where indicated, dietitian referral and structured monitoring plan.

Unit 3, 67 Brahman Avenue, Westfield, Modderfontein, Johannesburg. We see private patients across the Johannesburg east and north corridor: Sandton, Edenvale, Bedfordview, Kempton Park, Greenstone, Boksburg, and Eastgate. Dr Petropoulos consults Monday to Friday 09:00–16:00. Our dietitian, Charné, is available on Fridays.

Initial consultations start from R1,500, including the assessment, 60 minute consultation and bio-impedence measurement. Full metabolic programme pricing is discussed at your first visit.

Yes. We submit consultation claims directly to your medical scheme. Most schemes cover the bulk of the consultation fee, with a shortfall, starting at R94 for Discovery members (depending on plan) and up to around R250 for other schemes; hospital-plan-only members pay the full consultation fee. GLP-1 medication is generally not funded for a weight-related indication unless you have a diabetes diagnosis, though some higher-tier plans allow it to be claimed from your medical savings account.

Obesity medicine treats obesity as a chronic, multifactorial, relapsing disease, as classified by the World Health Organization. Unlike standard GP advice, which typically focuses on diet and exercise, it addresses the underlying biochemical, hormonal, neurological, psychiatric and inflammatory drivers of weight gain. Dr Nick Petropoulos at Equilibrium Health practises dedicated obesity medicine with international specialty training.

The World Health Organization, the American Medical Association, and the European Association for the Study of Obesity all classify obesity as a chronic, multifactorial, relapsing disease – not a lifestyle choice or failure of willpower. Treating it as a disease means using evidence-based medical interventions rather than relying on dietary restriction and exercise alone.

BMI is a simple height-to-weight ratio from the 1830s, it doesn’t measure fat mass, muscle mass, or visceral fat. A person can have a normal BMI while carrying excess visceral fat (“normal-weight obesity”), which still carries real metabolic risk. Body composition analysis using InBody technology at Equilibrium Health measures fat mass, muscle mass, total body water, visceral fat and metabolic rate, providing both the doctor and you a far more clinically meaningful picture.

Dr Nick Petropoulos holds an MBChB from the University of the Witwatersrand, following an earlier Master’s degree in biochemistry. He has 19 years of clinical experience, beginning in emergency medicine before moving into family practice and, later, specialised obesity medicine, supported by international training in the field. He is registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA Reg. 0660914 | Practice No. 0365750).