The World Health Organization (WHO) has published a global guideline for the use of GLP-1 medicins in the treatment of obesity.
Obesity affects people in every country in the world and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024. Without decisive action, the number of people with obesity is expected to double by 2030. In the Netherlands, more than 50% of adults are obese.
To address the growing global health challenge of obesity, the World Health Organization (WHO) published its first guideline on the use of GLP-1 drugs for the treatment of obesity as a chronic, relapsing disease in September 2025.
That's good news! With this new guideline, the WHO recommends the use of GLP-1 medications to support people with obesity in overcoming this serious health challenge. This is part of a comprehensive approach that includes a healthy diet, regular physical activity, and support from healthcare professionals.
"Obesity is a major global health challenge that WHO is committed to addressing by supporting countries and people worldwide in its effective and equitable management. Our new guidance recognizes that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with comprehensive and lifelong care ," said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. " While medication alone will not solve this global health crisis, GLP-1 therapies can help millions of people overcome obesity and reduce the harms associated with it ."
Obesity is a complex, chronic disease and a leading cause of noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. It contributes also contributes to poorer outcomes in patients with infectious diseases.
The WHO developed this guideline in response to requests from its Member States to address the challenges of obesity. This guideline was developed through extensive analysis and research by a large number of experts.
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Press release WHO : WHO issues global guideline on the use of GLP-1 medicines in treating obesity
