These new recommendations reflect a significant shift in how obesity is viewed and addressed.
Obesity… A Chronic Disease
The World Health Organization classifies obesity as a chronic, relapsing disease condition, often requiring long-term care including medication, nutritional support, physical activity, and ongoing follow-up by healthcare professionals.
The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said:
* “Obesity is a major global health challenge, and WHO is committed to addressing it by supporting countries and populations around the world to manage it effectively and equitably.”
* “Our new guidelines recognize that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive, lifelong care.”
* “While medication alone will not solve this global health crisis, GLP-1 treatments can help millions of people overcome obesity and reduce its associated harms.”
Two WHO Recommendations
The World Health Organization issued two conditional recommendations based on currently available evidence:
GLP-1 drugs can be used as a long-term treatment for adults with obesity, except for pregnant women.
The WHO noted that these drugs have shown clear benefits in weight loss and improved metabolic health, however, data on their long-term safety and effectiveness are limited, as are the challenges related to cost and accessibility for many who need them.
People who are prescribed GLP-1 drugs may also benefit from intensive behavioral programs, including structured guidance on healthy eating and physical activity. Preliminary evidence suggests that adding these programs to drug therapy may improve outcomes.
GLP-1 drugs, the same class of drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes, were added to the World Health Organization’s list of essential medicines in 2025 for people with high-risk diabetes.
Obesity increases the risk of many serious diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer. It may also increase the severity of health conditions in people with infectious diseases.
Additional Guidelines
But the World Health Organization stressed that drug treatment alone will not solve the problem of obesity.
The guidelines call for a broader plan based on 3 pillars:
* Healthier environments, including policies that support health.
* Targeted screening of people most at risk.
* Lifelong care focused on each person’s needs.
The World Health Organization also pointed to the enormous economic burden. Obesity is expected to cost the world $3 trillion annually by 2030.
GLP-1 drugs are expensive, and the World Health Organization warns that without clear policies, these treatments could exacerbate existing health inequalities.
Even with increased production, the agency expects the drugs to reach less than 10% of people who could benefit from them by 2030.
To improve access, the World Health Organization urges local communities to explore tools such as tiered pricing, joint procurement, and voluntary licensing.
