Sunday, April 7 (2019) is World Health Day, and the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) has signed-on with The Obesity Society (TOS) and the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) to increase awareness of the global impact of obesity on public health. Other leading organizations are supporting this initiative too, such as the World Obesity Federation and Obesity Canada.
We NEED World Health Day!
Approximately 1.2 billion people worldwide have obesity, which poses a serious risk to our nation’s health. Obesity is also a risk factor for more than 200 related conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and cancer.
However, it’s treatable! World Health Day provides an opportunity to talk about the importance of equity in healthcare services for individuals of all backgrounds. It’s also a chance to emphasize what quality healthcare IS and communicate that standard for care across the globe. These standards include:
- Multi-sectorial actions and policies for improving access to care
- Healthcare that is not only free of obesity stigma, but is evidence-based
- Educated healthcare providers that will advocate on their patients’ behalf
- Increased number of global obesity medicine specialists
- Strengthened primary care with appropriate medical training
Unfortunately, such basic needs are lacking in most services and care plans still to this day, making it difficult for patients with obesity to receive the quality care they need. If we want to improve the lives of people affected by obesity, we have a lot of work still to do.
A Future with Better Obesity Care
The OAC is proud to be a part of recognizing World Health Day because we’re committed to increasing access to quality care for patients with obesity. The solution requires more resources, more research and more collaboration. Obesity is a chronic and complex disease, so it needs prevention and treatment approaches that are just as comprehensive. Please join us in raising awareness of World Health Day, April 7 (2019)!
To learn more about World Health Day and OAC’s support, please CLICK HERE.