• The https://www.worldobesityday.org/policy-makers, published by the World Obesity Federation, predicts that one billion people globally, including 1 in 5 women and 1 in 7 men, will be living with obesity by 2030.

• The findings highlight that countries will not only miss the 2025 WHO target to halt the rise in obesity at 2010 levels, but that the number of people with obesity is on course to double across the globe.

• The greatest number of people living with obesity are in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with numbers more than doubling across all LMICs, and tripling in low income countries, compared to 2010.

• The report presents a new Obesity-Non Communicable Disease (NCD) Preparedness Index, showing that the 30 most prepared countries are all high income, while the 30 least prepared countries are all lower middle and low income countries, adding to concerns about the impact of inaction on already vulnerable populations.

• There is a global call to end the misunderstanding, fragmentation, underinvestment in and stigmatisation of obesity that is driving this systemic failure; governments around the world must work with WHO to develop a comprehensive Global Action Plan on Obesity.

The World Obesity Federation today published its fourth World Obesity Atlas, which this year provides predictions for the prevalence of obesity in men, women and children in 2030 and presents a new index for ranking countries in terms of their preparedness for obesity, including their health systems.

Published on World Obesity Day, a global awareness day calling for action to address the impact of obesity, the Atlas report estimates that by 2030 a billion people globally will be living with obesity.

Johanna Ralston, CEO World Obesity Federation said:

“It is clear we will not meet the 2025 UN targets to halt the rise of obesity, however we do have reasons to be optimistic. Every year we are increasing our scientific understanding of obesity, more people than ever are demanding action in their communities, and the recent momentum on securing WHO led coordination through a Global Action Plan on Obesity means we should remain hopeful. But the missed opportunity of the last decade should be a warning that success will only come if we all work together and invest in implementing and supporting comprehensive actions to prevent, manage and treat obesity throughout the life course.”