Governments must tackle obesity to prevent cardiovascular disease increase

Governments must do more to tackle rising levels of obesity according to a new global report on the links between obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD).

The World Heart Report 2025, co-authored by Essex public health experts, says stigma and misunderstanding of obesity are preventing people from receiving adequate treatment, leading to greater risk of CVDs.

Launched at the World Heart Federation’s World Heart Summit in Geneva, the report’s authors have urged governments to improve public health initiatives that can raise awareness and decrease risk factors and the burden of CVDs.

Professor Mariachiara Di Cesare, Director of Essex’s Institute of Public Health and Wellbeing and a member of the World Heart Federation Observatory Advisory Group is co-lead author of the report.

She said: “To address the growing implications of the obesity crisis, we urge action and targeted investment by governments around the world. Health systems must be strengthened to ensure broader access to, and affordability of, medical care for obesity and CVD.”

The report highlights the myths that hamper efforts to treat obesity and systemic healthcare gaps, along with aggressive commercial practices of companies making cheap, processed food. Together, these factors contribute to an increasing economic burden.

The authors warn that if current growth trends continue, by 2050 almost two in three adults over 25-years-old will be overweight or obese. They point to rising levels of childhood obesity and an increase in CVD deaths attributable to high body mass index.

They highlight that the economic impact of obesity will triple in high-income countries and increase 23-fold in upper middle-income countries. Savings of US$2.2 trillion could be made every year between 2020 and 2060 if coordinated and evidence-based action is used to reduce obesity rates to 2019 levels.

The report shows that the stigma of obesity prevents people from receiving adequate treatment, that negative bias amongst healthcare professionals deters people from seeking help and that a sedentary lifestyle and over-eating are not solely to blame.

“We need to tackle the obesity epidemic and associated burden of CVDs much earlier. When we get to the point of diagnosis, we are already one step too late in the process of fighting this critical risk factor for our health and particularly the health of our hearts. We need to commit energy and resources to tackle the social determinant factors that are pushing the epidemic to these unexpected levels including tackling structural racism and other forms of systemic discrimination,” added Professor Di Cesare.

The report authors have called for more public health initiatives such as nutritional training and advice, better and more widespread regulation of unhealthy foods and fast-food outlets, and increased availability of recreational and green spaces.

Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Minnesota and co-lead author added: “To tackle the world’s mounting obesity crisis, governments must implement cost-effective public health measures that improve public awareness and decrease risk factors, recognising obesity as multifactorial and committing to making full treatment options available, accessible and affordable.”