Statement to the 78th World Health Assembly - NCDs

On agenda items 12 and 13.1 – Role of Global Coordination Mechanism (CGM) and Political Declaration on NCDs

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World Obesity urges member states to invest in addressing obesity to fast-track progress on NCDs. Obesity contributes to millions of preventable deaths and drives a wide range of NCDs, yet is largely absent from the global and national responses.

On current trends, obesity will affect over 1 billion people by 2030 and cost nearly 3% of global GDP. 80% of people with diabetes also have overweight or obesity.

 

By investing in obesity prevention and care, we can reap a double dividend: reducing obesity while accelerating progress across the NCD agenda. This requires urgent, coordinated, multisectoral and multistakeholder action. World Obesity welcomes the GCM/NCD evaluation and supports the GCM in calling for the institutionalisation of multisectoral approaches with lived experience at the centre.

 

We urge that the 4th High-Level Meeting on NCDs marks the end of siloed efforts. It is an opportunity to renew and reinforce governments’ commitment to implement WHO recommendations and join the WHO Acceleration Plan on obesity, which is critical to both progress on obesity and NCDs.