World Obesity Day 2023!
Time for action: ‘Eat less and move more’ wont battle obesity alone!
Today is World Obesity Day, an annual event that gives the opportunity to raise awareness about obesity and the role it plays in human health worldwide. Due to many misconceptions, obesity is a challenging topic to address. However, we need to talk, debate and inform about obesity in order to shift norms and create a healthier future.
Worldwide, 800 million people are living with obesity. These people are at a greater risk of having chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Together with healthcare professionals, researchers and policy makers we, as JPI HDHL, are taking actions that lead to the prevention of obesity in many countries. By launching joint funding activities, such as the PREPHOBES call, we aim to develop, implement and evaluate innovative strategies designed to prevent or reduce overweight and obesity.
Teaming up with partner countries and stakeholders of JPI HDHL
Obesity is a health related problem which forms a high risk for developing many non-communicable diseases (NCD), such as heart disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes. The World Health Organization (WHO), part of the JPI HDHL Stakeholder Advisory Board, puts obesity high on the agenda worldwide. Especially in the WHO European Office for the prevention and control of NCDs, which was led by Dr. João Breda for a long period. In this new function within WHO he is still promoting an intersectoral approach and developing policies to tackle NCDs during World Obesity Day 2023.
Besides WHO and Dr. J. Breda, our Management Board members also contribute to reducing obesity and obesity-related diseases through research and policy implementation, for example the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR). They supported Obesity Canada that developed the Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines. In this way, CIHR is striving to provide the care and information to people living with obesity. For example, shifting the focus of obesity management toward improving patient-centered health outcomes, rather than weight loss alone.
Obesity is on the rise globally and efforts to address it are challenging due to misconceptions about obesity and the role it plays in a person’s health.
“Together we can correct misconceptions surrounding obesity, acknowledge its complexities, and take effective, collective action. Because when we all talk, debate and share, we can shift norms and transform health outcomes for everybody. This isn’t going to be easy. But difficult conversations help us to influence and mobilise policy initiatives; to upend misconceptions; to turn words into action.” – World Obesity Day 2023
Link to World Obesity Day 2023
Publication date: 4th of March 2023
Text: JPI HDHL secretariat in collaboration with the CIHR
