Mid-point evaluation of the NCD-GAP - Giving our members a voice to help accelerate action on obesity

This week we have an opportunity to let the World Health Organization know that it is time to take action on obesity, and to meet commitments made by Member States. 

The WHO is conducting conducting a mid-point evaluation to assess the accomplishments of the six objectives of the the WHO Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable diseases, 2013-2030 (NCD-GAP) which was adopted in 2013 by the World Health Assembly (the governing body of WHO consisting of all countries in formal relations with WHO and the UN).

As an organisation in official relations with WHO, WOF we have been invited to share our views on the status of the NCD plan, and to share with our network for your views. To support us in making sure obesity is raised high-up on every government’s political agenda, we would like to encourage you to share your input with us at advocacy@worldobesity.org prior to 21 August 2020. As a Non-State Actor in official relations with WHO, World Obesity will then share all of our Members’ input via the questionnaire available to us.

The WHO NCD-GAP provides a road map and a menu of policy options for all Member States and other stakeholders, to take coordinated and coherent action, at all levels, local to global, to attain the nine voluntary global targets on NCDs. Amongst them, target 7 calls to “halt the rise in diabetes and obesity [based on 2010 levels].” Unfortunately, whereas other targets related to NCD diseases and  risk factors such as reducing tobacco use and increasing access to cardiovascular disease medications are showing great results, the Obesity: missing the 2025 global targets report shows that most countries have less than 10% chance of meeting this target. Close to 1 billion adults  and children worldwide are affected by obesity, a number which is expected to continue to grow. The absence of recognition of obesity as a disease as well as  a risk factor, and a matter of urgent priority, is  driving this inaction and we have an opportunity to use this formal consultative process to register our concerns. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed existing vulnerabilities across our health and food systems, while also raising awareness on some of the social, financial and health consequences of obesity.In-light of the intrinsic link between obesity and worse cases of COVID-19, we now more than ever need every government to be proactive and adopt transformative policy approaches to tackle the obesity epidemic, while also address the underlying social economic and racial inequities that must be addressed to ensure #HealthForAll.   

Please take this opportunity to share your concerns about the lack of progress on the obesity target, using ROOTS messaging or your own key concerns.  The more we carry shared messaging, the greater likelihood we have of accelerating  action on obesity.