On the occasion of Obesity Day, 4 March 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for urgent action to tackle the growing obesity problem which is now recognized as one of the most significant public health challenges of our time.
This year’s theme, Building a healthy future: tackling obesity through prevention and care, serves as a rallying cry for governments, health systems and communities to prioritize the prevention and care of obesity.
Obesity is a chronic complex disease, and one that drives other diseases. Taking action on obesity will help reduce the global burden of other chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
The Eastern Mediterranean Region is grappling with an escalating obesity crisis. According to WHO data, obesity rates in the Region have been rising sharply over the past few decades. As of 2023, approximately 60% of adults in some countries in the Region were overweight or obese.
In addition to contributing to an alarming rise in noncommunicable diseases, including as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers, obesity has profound socio-economic impacts. Rising rates of obesity disproportionately affect low- and middle-income countries where access to affordable, healthy food, safe physical activity spaces and health care services are often limited.
WHO is responding to the global obesity crisis on many fronts, including monitoring global trends and prevalence, developing a broad range of guidelines on prevention and treatment and providing implementation support and recommendations such as those contained in the Report of the commission on ending childhood obesity.
In line with this year’s theme, WHO continues to emphasize the importance of comprehensive, multisectoral approaches to combat obesity. WHO’s Global action plan for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases 2013-2020, the Framework for action on obesity prevention and the Health service delivery framework for prevention and management of obesity provide clear guidelines for governments and stakeholders to reduce the obesity burden through:
The promotion of healthy diets
Encouraging balanced, nutritious diets that are affordable and accessible to all, especially in urban and underserved communities.
Encouraging physical activity
Ensuring environments promote physical activity, including safe roads, walkable neighborhoods and public spaces.
Regulation of food marketing
Implementing policies to reduce the marketing of unhealthy food, especially to children.
Improved access to obesity care and treatment
Expanding services for weight management, including counseling and medical interventions, to ensure that all individuals receive proper care.
WHO is also advocating for stronger integration of obesity prevention strategies into national health policies, particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean Region where rising obesity rates are outpacing efforts to control them.
By fostering environments that promote healthy lifestyles and ensuring that care is accessible, the social and economic toll of obesity can be reduced and the health outcomes of millions of people improved.
For too long, responses to the obesity crisis have focused on the individual. Obesity Day is a call to turn attention to the systems involved. Health systems, government systems, food systems and the media should commit to specific actions that will curb obesity rates, focusing on the following:
Policy development
Governments should integrate obesity prevention into national health agendas, focusing on evidence-based strategies that address diet, physical activity and the environment.
Education and awareness
There is an urgent need to raise public awareness about the dangers of obesity and the benefits of maintaining a healthy weight. Public health campaigns should target both individuals and communities.
Access to care
Health systems must expand access to obesity prevention and treatment services, particularly in underserved populations.
Partnerships
Cross-sectoral partnerships are essential to implement and sustain interventions. These should include governments, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and the public.
On Obesity Day 2025, WHO is committed to supporting countries in the Region and around the world implement policies that promote health, prevent obesity and provide effective care to those affected.
