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Review
. 2020 Dec;9(4):470-478.
doi: 10.1007/s13679-020-00405-x. Epub 2020 Nov 4.

Obesity: a Ghost at the Feast of the Sustainable Development Goals

Tim Lobstein  1   2 , Katy Cooper  3
Affiliations
Review

Obesity: a Ghost at the Feast of the Sustainable Development Goals

Tim Lobstein et al. Curr Obes Rep. 2020 Dec.

Erratum in

Abstract

Purpose of review: Despite its rapidly rising global prevalence, obesity is not featured in any of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This review highlights the multiple points at which obesity is affected by the Goals.

Recent findings: At least 14 out of the 17 thematic SDG targets play a role in driving the obesity epidemic, including health, food, education, water quality, land and ocean quality, urbanisation and employment. Although the SDGs recognise the need to reduce 'malnutrition in all its forms', the Goals underplay the role of urbanisation and unregulated markets on dietary health. Furthermore, adherence to the SDGs may be weak and compromised by conflicted interests. Nonetheless, governments have shown that they can, when pressed, respond to health challenges, and we anticipate how the rise in the numbers of people experiencing excess bodyweight may itself lead to greater demand for collective responsibility to ensure our environments are fully health-creating.

Keywords: Accountability; Malnutrition; SDGs; Stigma; Sustainable development.

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References

    1. World Health Organization. Global action plan for the prevention and control of NCDs 2013–2020. Geneva, 2013. https://www.who.int/nmh/events/ncd_action_plan/en/ . Accessed 25 Oct 2020.
    1. UN Sustainable Development Goals Knowledge Platform. Transforming our world: the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. Geneva: UN; 2019.
    1. United Nations. Political Declaration of the High-level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage. Resolution A/RES/74/2 adopted by the General Assembly. New York: UN; 2019.
    1. UNCSCN. Non-communicable diseases, diets and nutrition. 2018. Rome: United Nations System Standing Committee on Nutrition; 2018. https://www.unscn.org/en/unscn-publications?idnews=1831 . Accessed 25 Oct 2020.
    1. FAO. The state of food security and nutrition in the world 2018. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, International Fund for Agricultural Development, UNICEF, World Food Programme, World Health Organization; 2018.

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