Global obesity crisis: only 7% of countries succeed in addressing it

Obesity represents arapidly accelerating global health crisis: the most recent data from theWorld Obesity Atlas 2025 show that most countries around the world are not adequately prepared to deal with rising obesity rates, with severe repercussions on public health and health systems.

A Silent Pandemic: Growth of Obesity Worldwide

According to one study, the number of adults with obesity is set to more than double from 524 million in 2010 to more than 1.13 billion in 2030 if effective policies are not adopted.

Obesity is not just a weight problem: it is a major contributor to numerous chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and several types of cancer. Estimates attribute more than 1.6 million premature deaths each year to conditions related to high body mass index (BMI), more than deaths caused by traffic accidents.

Country preparedness: a worrying gap

The most alarming finding concerns the poor preparedness of countries to address the obesity emergency:

• Two-thirds of countries (126 out of 194)have none or only one of five key policies to prevent or manage obesity, such as taxes on sugary drinks, subsidies for healthy foods, or restrictions on advertising of unhealthy foods;
  
• Only 7 percent of nations have health systems adequately prepared to provide obesity patient-centered care.

These deficiencies are particularly critical in low- and middle-income countries, where the rise in obesity is most rapid and health systems most fragile.

Why a "Whole-of-Society" response is needed

Experts emphasize that obesity cannot be countered with isolated health initiatives: a multi-sectoral response involving governments, communities, businesses and individuals is needed.

Recommended strategies direct toward:

• Food labeling policies and hard-hitting regulations on marketing aimed at children;
  
• Environmental changes that promote active lifestyles (e.g. urban spaces for walking and cycling);
  
• Strengthening health systems with evidence-based guidelines for obesity prevention and management;
  
• Educational and cultural action to combat stigma and misinformation.

Impact in Italy and the World

The impact of obesity is significant not only globally but also locally, including Italy. The increase in obesity and overweight is reflected in health care costs, quality of life and productivity, affecting areas such as chronic disease management and primary prevention.

Conclusions

In a global scenario where obesity is set to rise and health systems struggle to respond in a structured way, prevention becomes the real strategic factor of health sustainability. At Italcares.it you can access programs for the prevention and management of overweight and obesity developed by highly specialized Italian health, spa and medical-wellness facilities.

These pathways integrate multidisciplinary clinical assessments, personalized nutritional programs, supervised physical activity, lifestyle education, and targeted therapeutic treatments, set in contexts that promote adherence and behavioral change over the medium to long term. An approach that responds to international recommendations and positions Italy as a hub of reference for the prevention of obesity-related chronic diseases, also with a view to medical tourism and long-stay healthcare.