World Obesity Day is a unified day of action that calls for a cohesive, cross-sector response to the obesity crisis. It takes place on 4 March and is convened by the World Obesity Federation in collaboration with its global members. Hundreds of individuals, organisations and alliances contribute to World Obesity Day every year, engaging hundreds of thousands of people across the world.
This year’s World Obesity Day shines a spotlight on the systems that shape our health. For too long, responses to obesity have focused on individuals, while the systems around us—healthcare, government policies, food environments, media, and workplaces—continue to fail us. It’s time to shift the focus and push for systemic change. Obesity is a complex, chronic disease and a major driver of other conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. By working together—governments, health professionals, advocates, and the public—we can transform these systems and create a healthier future for all.
The 2025 World Obesity Day is happening on the 4th March. On this date we would love your help to call on policymakers, employers and the media to consider how their actions can contribute to halt the rise in rates of obesity around the world. . This toolkit provides assets for people to advocate for the systemic changes needed, in a way that can be adjusted to their national context, their experience, or their profession. It includes audience outlines, key messaging, social media assets and event collateral. Assets will continue to be added to this as they are developed.
For too long, responses to the obesity crisis have been focussed on individuals. It’s time we turn our attention to the systems that are failing us. Health systems, government systems, food systems, the media, and the environments we work and live in. All these systems are contributing to the increasing rates of obesity around the world.
We must work together to call for change to these systems, and people living with obesity must lead this call.
We must also recognise obesity as a complex, and chronic disease, and one that is also a driver of other diseases. Taking action on obesity is a critical step in reducing the global burden of other chronic diseases including diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Together, governments, health professionals, advocates and the public can transform our systems, and build a healthier future for people all over the world.
No single intervention can halt the rise of the growing obesity epidemic. Addressing obesity requires a comprehensive approach across food and health systems, environments and in wider society.
This World Obesity Day we are calling for action…
More and more people are affected by obesity every year. It affects young and old, rich and poor—all over the world. It is for these people that this campaign exists, and we must ensure that they remain the heart of the campaign, our reason to challenge the systems.
Failing systems—from healthcare and food systems to the built environment—are driving the increase in rates of obesity. It’s systems—not people—that need to change.
We must recognise that obesity is both a complex disease and a driver of other diseases, including type-2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Taking action on obesity is a critical step in reducing the global burden of chronic disease, reducing the load on health systems around the world, and improving the lives of those suffering from obesity and related diseases.
