World Obesity Federation

Written By Kristy Lake

Putting Obesity Back on the Global Agenda, Inspiring Change Around the World

IN SUMMARY

What we did: Engaged the world's media and stakeholders with a landmark report from World Obesity. Illustrating the social and economic imperatives to address obesity and a call for action to prioritise vaccination for those living with the disease.

Galvanising action with a Summit ‘Obesity – Setting The Global Agenda’ hosted by WOF, The World Health Organisation and UNICEF. Reframing the narrative from one of individual blame to one which requires a systemic approach. Working alongside a digital awareness raising campaign and movement for change, “Everybody Needs Everybody’.

The world sat up, listened, engaged and acted.

The report illustrated that deaths from Covid were found to be ten times higher in countries where 50% of the population is overweight, equating to 2.2 million of the 2.5 million deaths in countries with high obesity. Obesity is rising with projected costs of $6-$7 trillion for hospitalisation alone.

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"This report must act as a wake-up call to governments globally. Investment in public health and co-ordinated, international action to tackle the root causes of obesity is one of the best ways for countries to build resilience in health systems post-pandemic: we urge all countries to seize this moment."

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Director-General of the World Health Organization.

 

THE OUTCOMES

OBESITY FIRMLY BACK ON THE GLOBAL AGENDA.

90 MILLION LIVES IMPACTED: The UK, USA, Canada and Portugal prioritised vaccination for those with obesity

GLOBAL ACTION

  • A £100 million fund for the UK. With weight loss support for 700,000.

  • A Global Coalition (GO) formed, supported by WOF, WHO and UNICEF, to lead and drive global action. Supporting a resolution on obesity at the World Health Assembly, 2022. 

  • The European Commission classified obesity as a chronic disease (June 2021).

  • Dozens of countries participated, hosting official events and prompting activism among healthcare professionals, policymakers, leaders and local NGOs. 

GLOBAL AWARENESS - with outstanding worldwide media coverage reaching 1.6 billion 

  • Media ran with the story around the world, across broadcast, print and online platforms. From the FT to the New York Times. Featuring the report, data, key messages, World Obesity spokespeople and case studies.

  • Action around the world continues, supported by World Obesity and its members.

World Obesity, WHO and UNICEF Summit March 4th 2021

International broadcast coverage reaching over 1+ billion

ENGAGEMENT & IMPACT

Press Coverage

  • 3,758 news articles. 98% on message and sentiment positive to cause.  

  • Features/news story of the day including: The FT, Guardian, BBC Online, Daily Mail, Washington Post, New York Times & Reuters. Amplified on YouTube and Twitter. Featuring the report, data, key messages and spokespeople.

Broadcast & Syndicated Media

  • 26 syndicated TV, radio and podcast interviews with WOF spokespeople: 

  • 50 global channels & syndicated networks including Reuters, DW News (197m weekly users), Eurovision (162 stations).

  • Featured repeatedly: CNN, Bloomberg News, Good Morning Europe, SKY, CNBC and BBC World TV, Al Jazeera. Including debates, talk shows and interviews.

Significant Engagement

  • Top 30 (of 3,000+) articles shared 70K+ times, sparking commentary and debate. Single articles were shared thousands of times (e.g. a Sky News article had 3.3K shares across Facebook and Twitter).  

  • 250K+ shares were calculated. Not analysis of full sample. Campaign tools were downloaded 11,793 times.

  • Flagship film had 4,455,049 views

  • Hashtag reach #WorldObesityDay Facebook: 650 million Twitter: 470 million

THE AMBITION

  1. GALVANISE COMMITMENT TO GLOBAL AND LOCAL ACTION

  • Encourage global policymakers to adopt the ROOTS framework for a system-wide approach to tackling obesity. Recognising those with obesity are at higher risk of COVID-19.  

  • Establish a coalition to lead and drive action to halt and reverse the rise in obesity. 

    2. SHIFT MINDSETS, DESTIGMATISE AND INCREASE AWARENESS OF OBESITY AS A DISEASE WITH SERIOUS HEALTH, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT

  • Shift the dialogue from individual blame toward one of system-wide shared responsibility. Aligned with the WOF strategic goals and the United National Sustainable Development Goals: 

  1. Reduction of premature non-communicable disease mortality including obesity

  2. To end malnutrition in all forms

3. MOBILISE WORLD OBESITY MEMBERS IN TARGET REGIONS/COUNTRIES

Including the UK, USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Jamaica, Chile, Saudi Arabia, India, Barbados, Thailand, Philippines and Nigeria.

4. INCREASE THE VISIBILITY AND RAISE AWARENESS OF WORLD OBESITY

WHAT WE DID

GLOBAL COMMUNICATION, POLICY AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

  1. RESEARCH AND LANDMARK REPORT: Highlighting the risks of obesity and COVID-19, evidenced by data, illustrating the scale of the challenge and stark contrasts between markets.  

  2. DECLARATION: Members of the Global Obesity Forum were invited to sign a Declaration encouraging governments to adopt the ROOTS framework. 

  3. INFLUENCERS: Engaged high-value influencers to secure public advocacy and commitment to action, including WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Michael Bloomberg.

  4. SUMMIT: WOF hosted “Obesity - Setting The Global Agenda” in partnership with UNICEF and WHO, inviting global stakeholders to commit to action. High-level stakeholders from 27 + countries participated.  

  5. CROSS CHANNEL GLOBAL MEDIA: Communicating objectives, sharing report findings, highlighting the risks and needs of individuals and society. Supported with content and resources. Featuring WOF CEO Johanna Ralston as activist for change, experts Dr Olivia Barata Cavalcanti and President of World Obesity Professor John Wilding as lead spokespeople, plus local experts and case studies.  

  6. ADVANCE BRIEFING OF LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS

  7. WE SET THE SCENE FOR WORLD OBESITY DAY, OP-EDS IN INTERNATIONALLY INFLUENTIAL MEDIA: Times, Guardian and New York Times. Pre-briefing of syndicated broadcasters.

  8. ON THE DAY: Broadcast media highlighted the report findings, call for urgent action and systemic change. 

2. EVERY BODY NEEDS EVERYBODY: DIGITAL-BASED MOVEMENT FOR CHANGE designed by Shape History

  1. CUSTOMISABLE MATERIALS: With inclusive, stigma-free portrayal of bodies with obesity for local adoption.

  2. PRE-ENGAGEMENT OF MEMBERS: Encouraging participation and local action. 

  3. A FLAGSHIP FILM TO REFRAME OBESITY NARRATIVE

  4. PAID SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN ACROSS FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND LINKED IN: Targeting key geographies.

  5. Reframing the narrative to system change.

 
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CONTEXT

Despite commitments to reduce obesity, rates are rising around the world. Covid highlighted the risks of obesity to health and morbidity, with a tenfold increased death rate.

Misperceptions and lack of understanding of obesity, and its multiple causes, were leading to individual blame and lack of systemic action to tackle the root causes.

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‘Old age is unavoidable, but the conditions that contribute to overweight and obesity can be highly avoidable if governments step up, and we all join forces to reduce the impact of this disease. The failure to address the root causes of obesity over many decades is clearly responsible for hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths. The most important thing as we emerge from this pandemic will be promising families who have lost loved ones and suffered severe economic pain “never again”.

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Johanna Ralston, CEO of the World Obesity Federation

Kristy Lake
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