Boehringer Ingelheim and WHO Foundation Launch Global Collaboration on Obesity

Boehringer Ingelheim and the WHO Foundation have announced a new three-year collaboration aimed at accelerating progress in tackling obesity and associated metabolic disorders, particularly in low-resource countries. The initiative is backed by a $5 million contribution from Boehringer Ingelheim over three years.

Obesity is a significant global health challenge, with over 2.5 billion adults and 390 million children and adolescents affected by overweight or obesity in 2022. The prevalence of obesity in adults has more than doubled since 1990.

The collaboration will focus on strengthening health systems' capacity to monitor and manage obesity and related metabolic conditions. It also aims to foster cross-sectoral approaches and ensure meaningful involvement of individuals with non-communicable diseases in policy discussions for patient-centered care.

"The scale and complexity of the challenge of obesity and metabolic health demands an integrated approach," stated Anil Soni, Director-General of the WHO Foundation. "Through this collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim, we will enable countries to translate scientific data and international recommendations into integrated services that address population needs."

The project will support the WHO's "Action Plan for Healthy Weight (2022-2030)," which guides countries in implementing evidence-based interventions. The long-term ambition is to contribute to equitable, integrated chronic disease care within resilient primary healthcare systems.