The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued its first-ever guideline on a new generation of weight-loss medications — a major move that could reshape global obesity treatment as rates continue to climb.
The recommendations center on GLP-1 therapies, a fast-growing class of drugs that includes liraglutide, semaglutide, and tirzepatide. WHO’s new guidance offers conditional recommendations on how these medicines can be used safely and effectively as part of long-term obesity care.
A growing global crisis
Obesity now affects more than one billion people worldwide, contributing to an estimated 3.7 million deaths in 2024. Without stronger action, the WHO warns the number of people living with obesity could double by 2030. This surge poses enormous challenges for healthcare systems and could result in $3 trillion in annual economic losses.
Given WHO’s role as the world’s leading public health authority, the new guideline is expected to influence national policies, insurance decisions, and clinical practices at a time when demand for effective weight-loss treatments is exploding.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus commented:
Obesity is a major global health challenge. Our new guidance recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong care. While medication alone won’t solve this global health crisis, GLP-1 therapies can help millions overcome obesity and reduce its associated harms.
Obesity recognized as a complex and chronic condition
The WHO stresses that obesity is not simply due to poor lifestyle choices. Instead, it is a complex chronic disease shaped by genetics, biological factors, environment, and social conditions.
A recent mindbodygreen article stresses that:
What makes this announcement meaningful isn’t only the endorsement of medication; it’s the explicit recognition embedded within it.
The WHO is formally acknowledging obesity as a chronic, relapsing disease requiring comprehensive, lifelong medical management. Not a character flaw. Not a willpower deficit. A complex metabolic condition deserving the same comprehensive, lifelong care we afford any other chronic illness.
Obesity increases the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and several cancers, and it can also worsen outcomes for infectious diseases. For many individuals, long-term weight loss is extremely difficult without medical assistance.
GLP-1 therapies help by mimicking a natural hormone that regulates appetite, blood sugar, and digestion. These medications can trigger meaningful weight loss and significant health improvements.
WHO added GLP-1 therapies to its Essential Medicines List in 2025 for high-risk diabetes patients, and the new guideline now recommends long-term use for adults with obesity, except during pregnancy.
However, the guidance remains conditional because of limited long-term safety data, questions around maintaining weight loss after stopping treatment, high cost, and concerns about unequal access across regions.
Medication isn’t enough
A major theme throughout the guideline is that GLP-1 drugs cannot serve as a standalone solution. mindbody green chimes in:
The WHO’s new guidelines recommend these medications for long-term obesity management in adults (excluding pregnant women), but with a critical caveat: they must be combined with what the document calls “intensive behavioural interventions,” structured, ongoing programs involving nutrition counseling, physical activity support, and behavioral health services…
This integrated approach (pharmaceutical intervention plus foundational lifestyle medicine) represents the future of metabolic health. GLP-1 therapies can be powerful catalysts for change, but they work best when layered into a broader foundation of movement, nutrition, sleep, stress management, and community support.
WHO also highlights the broader need for systems-level action. Creating healthier food environments and early intervention programs requires cooperation between governments, healthcare providers, and industry, not just individual effort.
Ensuring access, affordability, and safety
Demand for GLP-1 medicines already far outpaces supply. Even with expanded manufacturing, the WHO estimates fewer than 10% of eligible people will have access by 2030. Without careful planning, this scarcity risks widening existing health inequities. To counter this, the WHO urges governments to consider pooled procurement, fair pricing strategies, and voluntary licensing agreements.
Another emerging issue is the rise of fake or substandard GLP-1 products, driven by global shortages. WHO stresses the importance of regulated supply chains, proper prescribing, and strong oversight to ensure patient safety.
WHO plans to update the recommendations as new research becomes available, and in 2026, the organization will work with global partners to prioritize access for people most at risk.
Your responses and feedback are welcome!
Source: “GLP-1 Medications Just Got WHO’s Backing — Here’s The Part You Can’t Ignore,” mindbodygreen.com, 12/1/25
Source: “WHO backs wider use of weight-loss medicines, calling obesity a chronic disease,” UN.org, 12/1/25
Source: “WHO issues global guideline on the use of GLP-1 medicines in treating obesity,” WHO.int, 12/1/25
Image by Karola G/Pexels
FAQs and Media Requests: 
