On the occasion of Obesity Day, 4 March 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for urgent action to tackle the growing obesity problem which is now recognized as one of the most significant public health challenges of our time.

This year’s theme, Building a healthy future: tackling obesity through prevention and care, serves as a rallying cry for governments, health systems and communities to prioritize the prevention and care of obesity.

Obesity is a chronic complex disease, and one that drives other diseases. Taking action on obesity will help reduce the global burden of other chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

The Eastern Mediterranean Region is grappling with an escalating obesity crisis. According to WHO data, obesity rates in the Region have been rising sharply over the past few decades. As of 2023, approximately 60% of adults in some countries in the Region were overweight or obese.