Commentary: A plan for accelerated action on obesity

Halting the rise in obesity among children, adolescents, and adults is essential to combat the growing burden of non-communicable diseases and to improve nutrition, health, and wellbeing for all. Failing to do so threatens progress towards reducing premature mortality from non-communicable diseases by 30%—a key target of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

 

No country is on track to achieve the global nutrition target to stop the rise in overweight and obesity among children under 5 years of age, nor to achieve the global non-communicable disease target to stop obesity among adolescents and adults. The cost of obesity and obesity-related diseases continues to rise, reaching US$990 billion per year, which accounts for more than 13% of all health-care expenditures. If no further action is taken, the economic effects from overweight and obesity are projected to cost the global economy 3·29% of gross domestic product by 2060.