Khaberni - The World Health Organization, a United Nations agency, has issued its first guidelines on the use of a new class of weight loss drugs known as GLP1, which represents a significant shift in the organization's policies as obesity rates continue to rise.
According to the international organization, more than a billion people worldwide suffer from obesity, which was linked to 3.7 million deaths in 2024, warning that failure to take more decisive action could double the number of people affected by obesity by 2030, putting immense pressure on health systems and pushing global economic losses to an estimated $3 trillion annually.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the organization, said obesity "represents a major global health challenge," noting that the new guidelines recognize obesity as a chronic disease that can be managed with lifelong comprehensive care.
He pointed out that drugs alone will not solve this global health crisis, but GLP-1 treatments can help millions overcome obesity and reduce the associated harms.
