Obesity is one of the most challenging public health concerns of the 21st century.1 More than half of the population is now overweight in 34 out of 36 OECD countries and almost one in four people have obesity.2 Globally, at least 2.8 million people die each year as a result of being overweight or having obesity.1 But stigma represents significant barriers for patients to get access to appropriate prevention and treatment. A coalition of leading professional, advocacy and industry organizations including Ethicon, a world leader in bariatric surgery, have come together today for World Obesity Day 2020. The #WorldObesityDay is a global public awareness and advocacy initiative created to enhance the understanding of obesity, improve healthcare policies, practices and access to obesity treatments, and reduce the stigma associated with the disease.
