New global position statement calls for action on steatotic liver disease within the NCD response
The World Obesity Federation has joined global partners in endorsing a new position statement published in Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, calling for the adoption of a World Health Assembly (WHA) resolution on steatotic liver disease (SLD) - a major and growing global health challenge.
The statement highlights the urgent need to recognise SLD within global noncommunicable disease (NCD) frameworks and to strengthen prevention, early detection and integrated care across health systems.
A critical moment for liver and metabolic health
In February 2026, the WHO Executive Board proposed a WHA resolution on SLD, marking a significant step towards formally recognising these conditions within the global NCD response. If adopted by Member States, this would be the first time steatotic liver diseases are explicitly included within the global NCD and universal health coverage (UHC) agenda.
This proposal reflects a broader shift in global health policy. In late 2025, liver health was included in the political declaration of the UN General Assembly’s fourth High-Level Meeting on NCDs, followed by its inclusion in the World Economic Forum’s briefing on the global NCD crisis. Together, these developments signal growing recognition that liver disease is not a niche concern, but a central component of the global burden of metabolic disease.
Steatotic liver disease: a growing global burden
Steatotic liver disease affects an estimated 1.7 billion people worldwide and is now the fastest-growing cause of chronic liver disease globally.
Despite this, it remains largely absent from global NCD strategies, monitoring frameworks and policy responses. This gap contributes to late diagnosis, often when disease has already progressed to advanced stages such as cirrhosis or liver cancer.
The position statement makes clear that this is no longer a question of evidence - but of policy alignment and implementation.
A continuum of metabolic disease
From an obesity perspective, the recognition of SLD is particularly significant.
Steatotic liver disease sits within a broader continuum of metabolic dysfunction, closely linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other NCDs. It often develops early, acting as one of the first measurable signs of metabolic imbalance, and can precede more severe health outcomes.
Recognising SLD within the NCD and UHC agenda reinforces the need for integrated approaches to metabolic health - where conditions are not addressed in isolation, but through coordinated prevention, early detection and long-term management.
Integrating liver health into systems of care
The proposed WHA resolution calls for the integration of SLD into existing NCD frameworks, policies, and primary healthcare systems, alongside strengthened surveillance, prevention and treatment pathways.
This includes:
- Embedding liver health within primary care and screening programmes
- Aligning SLD with existing NCD strategies and monitoring systems
- Strengthening early detection and risk assessment
- Supporting coordinated, multisectoral action across health systems
Such approaches reflect a shift towards preventive and integrated models of care, recognising the shared drivers and pathways of metabolic diseases.
Global collaboration and support
As part of this process, the ISGlobal Public Health Liver Group, International Diabetes Federation (IDF), and World Obesity Federation co-hosted a global consultation on the proposed WHA resolution. The consultation brought together stakeholders from across sectors to explore its implications and implementation.
The session included an introduction from the Government of Egypt, alongside contributions from Bruno Halpern and Magdalena Wetzel on behalf of World Obesity, both expressing strong support for the resolution and its potential to strengthen global action.
The position statement itself is endorsed by more than 50 international, national and patient organisations, reflecting broad consensus on the need to elevate liver health within the global health agenda.
A call to act
The upcoming World Health Assembly represents a key opportunity for Member States to align scientific evidence with global policy and governance.
Adopting the resolution would:
- Recognise SLD as part of the global NCD burden
- Strengthen integration across NCD and UHC frameworks
- Support earlier diagnosis and improved outcomes
- Advance coordinated responses to the broader metabolic health crisis
The World Obesity Federation strongly supports the adoption of the resolution and stands ready to work with WHO, governments and partners to translate it into meaningful action.
Read more
Read the position statement in Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Read the full position statement