THE WORLD HEALTH Organization (WHO) has its first guidelines on the use of GLP-1 (Glucagon-Like Peptide-1) therapies for obesity, responding to what it describes as a rapidly escalating global health crisis that now affects more than 1 billion people.
Obesity was linked to 3.7 million deaths in 2024, and the WHO warned that the number of people living with the condition could double by 2030 without urgent action. GLP-1 drugs help patients feel fuller for longer, aiding weight management.
“Obesity is a major global health challenge that WHO is committed to addressing,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “Medication alone won’t solve this crisis, but GLP-1 therapies can help millions reduce obesity and its related harms.”
The new guidance says GLP-1 therapies may be used for long-term treatment of obesity in adults — except those who are pregnant — but stresses that the recommendation is conditional due to limited long-term safety data, high costs, and concerns about equitable access.
The WHO also recommends pairing the medications with intensive behavioral interventions, such as structured healthy eating and physical activity programs, to improve results.
Calling obesity a complex, chronic disease that drives heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and worse outcomes from infectious illnesses, the WHO projected its economic impact could reach $3 trillion annually by 2030. The agency urged the creation of healthier environments, early intervention for high-risk groups, and lifelong, person-centered care.
It also highlighted the need for fair access to GLP-1 therapies, warning that fewer than 10% of those who need the medications are expected to receive them by 2030.
In September, the WHO added GLP-1 therapies to its Essential Medicines List for managing type 2 diabetes in high-risk patients.
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