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Unravelling the Root Causes of Obesity on World Obesity Day

The roots of obesity run deep.

People who suffer from obesity are constantly shamed and blamed for their disease. This is because many people – including doctors, policy makers and others – do not understand that obesity is a chronic disease. They see it as a simple lack of willpower, laziness, or a refusal to “eat less and move more”. But like all chronic diseases, the root causes of obesity run much deeper. They can be genetic, psychological, sociocultural, economic and environmental. It is time we break the cycle of shame and blame and reevaluate our approach for addressing this complex, chronic disease that affects 650 million people worldwide.

The aim of World Obesity Day 2020, is to bring together healthcare workers, patients and political communities to push for more comprehensive solutions, treatments, and a collective responsibility for addressing this global epidemic. So, together we can address the far reaching personal, societal, and economic impacts of obesity.

  • Supporting people living with obesity and overweight to advocate for their right to respectful and evidence-based care and support. 
  • Helping healthcare practitioners to learn more about their role in treating obesity with evidence-based non stigmatizing, person-centered approaches.
  • Pushing for further research, heath systems monitoring, and surveillance that are needed to address this disease.

This year, World Obesity Day will include global recognition as well as regional and national campaigns and local activities and events. Organizations and individuals from across the world will be participating.

We will be asking people to support a Declaration on Obesity, share their own stories and events, promote a public activation by taking photos with an ‘O’ for Obesity, as well as coordinating a number of global events, press releases and timely publications.

Emerging ag is joining organizations around the world for a new World Obesity Day on March 4, 2020, as we push for more comprehensive solutions, treatments, and collective responsibility for addressing this global epidemic. Together, we can address the far reaching personal, societal, and economic impacts of obesity. See how you can be a force for change at www.worldobesityday.org

For a number of years Emerging ag has been working with nutritionists and health professionals in Mexico to support the fight against obesity and other non-communicable diseases. To find out more on this work please read here.

Morgane Danielou

Morgane has been working in international development and communications in relation to the agrifood sector for the past 15 years. She has worked for international organizations, NGOs, and the private sector. She has been a spokesperson for specific industries as well as business groups in international policy processes. For two years, she was the private sector representative at the UN Committee on World Food Security where she helped found the Private Sector Mechanism. She was also vice-chair of the Food and Agriculture Committee of the Business and Industry Advisory Committee (BIAC) to the OECD. Morgane is passionate about building engagement with diverse stakeholders and representing civil society in United Nations processes and agencies. She has a strong background in corporate and digital communications.

Prior to joining Emerging Ag, Morgane was Director of Communications at the International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA). During her time at IFA, she co-chaired the Farming First coalition. She also worked for the World Bank and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). She has conducted fieldwork in Latin America and Africa. A French national, Morgane is fluent in French, English, Portuguese and Spanish. She holds a Master of Science in Development Studies from the London School of Economics, an MBA from the Sorbonne Graduate Business School, a BA in History from the Sorbonne University and a BA in Chinese from the International Institute of Oriental Languages.

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