World Obesity at WHA 78 - driving action on obesity to the centre of the NCD response
From May 20th – 27th, the World Obesity team joined our members and fellow health organisations at the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva to elevate action on obesity.
This WHA came at a critical time as countries prepare for the Fourth UN High-Level Meeting on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health in September 2025.
The WHA is the decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO). Delegates from WHO member states come together at an annual assembly at the UN headquarters in Geneva to discuss specific health topics. Whatever decision is made by Member States on the WHA will determine WHO's policies and priorities. Non-State Members, such as Civil Society Representatives, like World Obesity, have no right to vote. Still, they can influence decision-making through other forms (side events, meetings with Missions, delivering statements).
The World Obesity team - Simón Barquera, President, Johanna Ralston, CEO, Dr Angie Jackson-Morris, Director of Programme and Strategy, and Magdalena Wetzel, Head of Policy - were joined by lived experience advocates who together spent the week delivering statements, hosting, attending and speaking at side events, as well as holding insightful meetings with governments and partners.
Read on for some of the week's highlights.
World Heart Summit
At the World Heart Summit, World Obesity Federation’s CEO, Johanna Ralston, participated in the launch event of the 'Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease' report. The World Obesity Federation is proud to have supported the development of this important resource and echoes the report’s call for urgent, systems-level action to reduce the impact of obesity and cardiovascular disease on communities worldwide. With CVD remaining the world’s leading cause of death, and obesity emerging as a primary driver, the report urges leaders to prioritise obesity within broader NCD strategies and invest in scalable, equity-focused interventions.
Spotlight on ultra-processed foods
The global increase in obesity prevalence has been concurrent with the worldwide rise in the consumption and marketing of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), which are energy-dense, rich in sugars, saturated/trans fats, and sodium. Food systems must deliver affordable, healthy, nutritious diets to halt the rise in obesity and address all forms of malnutrition.
Front-of-pack nutrition labelling (FOPL) has been recognised as a cost-effective policy to address the growth of obesity prevalence as well as other NCDs.
World’s Obesity President, Dr Simón Barquera, spoke on the panel of “Unpacking Ultra-Processed: The Role of Front-of-Pack Labelling in Promoting Healthier Diets”, an event hosted by the Bloomberg Philanthropies and World Health Organisation.
