We had the pleasure of interviewing Mas Watad, Co-founder and President of Dawsat International Ltd. and Mas Group, who is a pioneer in the field of healthy living and nutrition. Dawsat is a groundbreaking method for measuring food intake, known globally for its unique points-based system that helps individuals lose weight, improve their health, and embrace a healthier lifestyle. Mas Watad, an influential figure in the Arab community, shares her expertise through workshops, lectures, and media appearances, and publishes a healthy recipe magazine during Ramadan.

Mas Watad’s Professional Journey

We started the interview by asking Mas Watad about her professional journey:

Mas Watad replied, “When I was just 10 years old, I created a handmade wellness magazine and sold it to my classmates. This early entrepreneurial spirit set the stage for my lifelong passion for health and wellness. I pursued a degree in Clinical Dietetics at Hebrew University, Jerusalem, to focus on disease prevention. After graduating, I developed the Dawsat food measurement unit, a points-based system tailored to Arabic cuisine. I started a weight loss support group in my community, which quickly grew from 10 to 100 women in just three months, demonstrating the power of community support. Today, Dawsat is widely recognized for its effectiveness, and I am often referred to as the Oprah of the Arab sector due to the impact of our work.”

Simplifying Weight-Loss Solutions

We asked Mas how she balances long-term vision with short-term needs:

Mas Watad replied, “My vision revolves around promoting health within a supportive community environment. Dawsat leverages digital tools and a mobile app to provide personalized weight loss guidance, making it accessible and culturally relevant. Our points-based system offers flexible dieting options, tailored content, and the support of health coaches to ensure an enjoyable and effective weight loss journey.

We believe in the combined power of TECHNOLOGY, SCIENCE AND COMMUNITY to transform lives and improve wellness. As many of us probably know, losing weight is hard.

This is especially the case in the Arab world.

1) Losing weight is complicated as science changes and the plethora of information can be confusing and hard to follow. The most cutting edge nutrition information and research is rarely based on Arab populations and rarely published or made accessible to Arabic speakers.

2) “Diet food isn’t tasty” and western diet programs rely on food that is not relevant for non-western cultures.

3) Losing weight is a lonely journey.”

Overcoming Challenges

Reflecting on her career challenges, Mas shared:

Mas Watad replied, “Obesity rates have tripled globally, with the MENA region experiencing some of the highest increases. Addressing obesity and related diseases like diabetes is critical. Our approach at Dawsat focuses on culturally relevant, tech-based coaching to provide the latest nutrition information and support for effective weight loss in the Arab world.
Dawsat’s solution addresses these challenges by providing a culturally relevant, technology-based health coach.

Dawsat’s digital tools and mobile app helps simplify, personalize and make weight loss information available on the go. Dawsat’s proprietary weight loss method is an easy-to-understand points-based system of tradeoffs. Our customers consume dawsat when they eat maqlubeh, pizza and yes, even kanafe. And you burn Dawsat when you jog, do yoga, play with your kids or clean your home. Dawsat’s Arabic first content and database are based on Arabic culture so can create sustainable lifestyle change.

Our trained health coaches and supportive community, within our online groups and App community take away the loneliness of the difficult journey and even make it fun. Our trained health coaches and supportive community, within our online groups and App community take away the loneliness of the difficult journey and even make it fun.

The Dawsat App provides fitness tools that are integrated with popular wearables, daily menus and recipe videos, a rich food index of hundreds of Arabic foods and ingredients, our closed in-app social community and weekly group meetings with rich data analytics supporting more effective management of group meetings.”

Current Offerings and Future Plans

We were curious about Dawsat’s current services and future plans:

Mas Watad replied, “Our participants in online support groups typically lose about 9% of their body weight and maintain it. We have over 60,000 success stories that guide our data-driven protocols. We’re constantly innovating to enhance our services, including expanding our app’s capabilities.”

Market Analysis & Business Decisions

We asked Mas how market trends influence her business decisions:

Mas Watad replied, “Despite growing awareness of preventive health, the MENA market remains fragmented. Dawsat uniquely combines advanced technology, Arabic cultural insights, and cutting-edge nutrition science to lead the region’s wellness transformation. Unlike drug-based or restrictive programs, our method focuses on habit changes, positioning us as a unique solution in this market.”

Corporate Responsibility & Ethical Practices

Mas discussed Dawsat’s commitment to social responsibility:

Mas Watad replied, “Sustainability and social responsibility are core principles at Dawsat. We aim to combat health issues for current and future generations. Women, as central figures in families, play a crucial role in extending healthy eating principles to their households. Dawsat has thus become a family lifestyle, with 20% of our users being men.”

Impact of Digital Transformation

On digital transformation, Mas noted:

Mas Watad replied, “Technology plays a vital role in our mission to improve wellness in the MENA region. We continuously enhance our app and technology to provide effective health solutions.”

Securing a Legacy

Finally, we asked Mas about her vision for Dawsat’s legacy:

“I believe Dawsat is the best health solution in the Arab world, a sentiment echoed by the Ministry of Health in Israel and various health insurance providers. Our goal is to leave a lasting impact on the health and wellness of our community.” Mas Watad concluded

Connect Mas Watad on LinkedIn

Discover more about Dawsat on their website and LinkedIn

Download the app by clicking this link – https://daws.at/ac-Tt

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