Join the first global obesity Community of Practice

Around the globe, civil society has a critical role to play in accelerating action to address the obesity epidemic.

In line with World Obesity’s strategic goals to help improve coordination and strengthen obesity networks, we are establishing the first global obesity Community of Practice.

The goals of the network include:

• To create a platform for peer-to-peer networking and knowledge exchange.
• For participants to enhance their own learning and contribute to the advancement of their organisations.
• To update advocates about the WHO Acceleration Plan, the work of the Global Obesity Coalition, and other opportunities.
• To build advocacy capacity among obesity civil society.

The Community of Practice will be centered on inclusivity, collaboration, and sustainability. This network can make the participation of global and country constituencies and ordinary people possible and powerful, and creates the platform for urgent action to end the obesity epidemic. The Community of Practice is open to all those involved in driving the obesity epidemic response – examples of these groups and how they could contribute include:

• People living with and affected by obesity: Lobby for the right to prevention and management of obesity; participate in political and strategic decision-making processes; become involved in the design of relevant interventions; ensure that diversity among people living with obesity is respected; participate in decision-making on their own obesity prevention and treatment plans; and demand to be equipped with necessary knowledge and skills.
• Civil society: Ensure governments develop, implement and are accountable for ambitious and inclusive national responses to the obesity epidemic following the principles of participation, human rights, equity, and social justice; support the implementation and participate in monitoring progress; ensure and amplify the involvement of people living with obesity; and mobilise the public to increase demand for actions and services to prevent and manage obesity.
• Youth: Break prejudices and address failures by public health; address societal lack of fairness, perceived injustice and exploitation, and unmet need of countries to provide access to healthy diet, supportive environment, and health care; expose certain globalised commercial and agricultural practices as exploitative, environmentally damaging, and obesogenic; reclaim public spaces for physical activity; and propagate and amplify engagement with health through a social media revolution.
• Professional associations: Sensitise and generate awareness about the importance of prevention and management of obesity; provide high-quality education and training resources for health care workers and other professionals; support research and innovation in the field of obesity, and use evidence to support policy development, advocacy, and change; and collaborate with relevant stakeholders for early response to the challenge of obesity in young people.

The community will initially be facilitated in English, but we hope that additional language communities will emerge over time.

Through quarterly webinars and other communication channels, participants will gain insights to the global context, share national progress, hear from peers on advocacy wins and research progress, and develop a shared repertoire of resources: experiences, stories, tools, and ways of addressing recurring problems. An email thread, WhatsApp group and LinkedIn groups will also be created to help build a truly global network.

More information on this exciting initiative will follow soon, in the meantime, please register to receive updates on the first meeting.