From endorsement of the WHO Acceleration Plan to Stop Obesity to national implementation: country progress on health system preparedness to scale up a comprehensive obesity chronic care programme

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Authors: Francesca L. Celletti, Claire Chaumont, Jørgen Torgerstuen Johnsen, Francesco Branca, Anna Wright, Jennifer Manne-Goehler, Melanie Bertram, Rupasree Srikumar, Pavel Ursu, Luz Maria De‐Regil
Cited by: 1
References: 15

Abstract

Addressing the global obesity crisis requires health systems that move beyond prevention to include care and treatment. However, translating global policy into national implementation remains challenging. Through the WHO Acceleration Plan to Stop Obesity, 34 countries committed to reducing the prevalence of obesity by 5% by 2030. Using the plan's operational model, we applied a policy and impact cycle and created a 100-day challenge platform, to support 12 countries to integrate and scale chronic obesity care within their health systems. This paper captures the approaches, system design, progress, and lessons in expanding access to chronic obesity care across the life course. Results show that political commitment, structured implementation, and targeted technical support enabled rapid progress in service design and delivery readiness. Stakeholder engagement, community participation, and data-driven planning emerged as key enablers of success. The countries in this study provide a blueprint for embedding obesity care at scale, underscoring the need for a coordinated global response.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Obesity and Health Practices Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology Obesity Physical Activity Diet

Publication details

Journal / source
The Lancet Global Health
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Volume
14
Issue
4
Pages
e653–e662
Publication date
3 March 2026
Language
EN