WHO Issues Global Guidelines for GLP-1 Obesity Treatment
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WHO Issues First Guideline on GLP-1 therapies for Obesity
What Happened?
The World Health Association (WHO) has released its first guideline on the use of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) therapies for treating obesity as a chronic, relapsing disease. This marks a meaningful shift in how the global health body approaches obesity management. In september 2025, WHO added GLP-1 therapies to its Essential Medicines List for
managing type 2 diabetes in high-risk groups.
obesity affects over 1 billion people worldwide and was associated with 3.7 million deaths in 2024. projections indicate the number of people with obesity could double by 2030 without intervention.
Why This Matters: The scope of the Obesity Crisis
Obesity is a complex, chronic disease and a major driver of noncommunicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. It also worsens outcomes for patients with infectious diseases. The global economic cost of obesity is predicted to reach US$3 trillion annually by 2030.
Global Obesity Statistics (2024)
| Region | Prevalence (Adults) | Estimated Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| North America | 41.9% | 800,000 |
| Europe | 37.6% | 750,000 |
| Asia | 28.8% | 1,500,000 |
| Africa | 12.8% | 620,000 |
| South America | 30.1% | 500,000 |
| Global Average | 39.2% | 3,700,000 |
Source: WHO, 2024 estimates.
Key Recommendations of the WHO Guideline
The new WHO guidance contains two key conditional recommendations:
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GLP-1 therapies may be used by adults (excluding pregnant women) for the long-term treatment of obesity. This recommendation is conditional due to limited data on long-term efficacy and safety, maintenance and discontinuation, current costs, inadequate health-system preparedness, and potential equity implications.
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Intensive behavioral interventions, including structured programs involving healthy diet and physical activity, may be offered to adults living with obesity prescribed GLP-1 therapies. This is based on low-certainty evidence suggesting it may enhance treatment outcomes.
Understanding GLP-1 Therapies