Speaking truth to power: How to turn Lived Experience into advocacy
Apr 30, 2026Today, more than 1 billion people are living with obesity, and without action, nearly half of the global population could be living with overweight or obesity by 2035.
Obesity does not occur in isolation. It is shaped by poverty, unequal access to healthcare and education, the availability of nutritious food, and environments that do not support healthy living. These systems are connected - and so are the solutions.
Addressing obesity therefore requires action across prevention, treatment, and policy, alongside a fundamental shift in how obesity is understood and prioritised. This includes ensuring that people living with obesity are supported, respected, and meaningfully included in decision-making.
People with lived experience bring a unique and essential perspective to these discussions - one that cannot be replaced by clinical or policy expertise alone. Yet, their voices remain underrepresented in many of the spaces where decisions are made at national, regional, and global levels.
In 2027, for example, there will be a UN meeting for heads of state on Universal Health Coverage (UHC). We’d like to join forces and advocate for obesity to be included in all countries’ health priorities as part of this, and can share ideas on how we can do this together.
At the same time, there is growing recognition - across WHO and global NCD frameworks - that lived experience is critical to shaping more effective, equitable responses to obesity.
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Despite this momentum, many individuals are not yet aware of what advocacy is, how it works, or how to engage safely and effectively.
This session addresses that gap by creating an accessible entry point into advocacy - supporting individuals to understand their role, build confidence, and begin engaging in a structured and supported way.
This 60-minute introductory online event serves as an entry point into global obesity advocacy, helping participants understand their importance and potential impact.
- Position lived experience as a critical driver of policy change in obesity
- Provide a clear, accessible introduction to how advocacy works in practice
- Build confidence among participants to engage safely and meaningfully
- Initiate participants’ journey into the World Obesity lived experience network
Register today
Register for our webiner 'Speaking Truth to Power: How to Turn Lived Experience into Advocacy' on 30 April 2026, from 12:00-13:00 BST.
Register here